A transportation group has released a list of the 10 most dangerous intersections in Hillsborough County.
One roadway, in particular, is frequently listed and could be the county’s most-dangerous road.
Waters Avenue West makes four appearances on the rankings of most dangerous Hillsborough County intersections, including all of the top three.
The list, which is ranked by number of crashes from May 1, 2017 to August 31, 2018, was topped by the intersection of Sheldon Road and Waters Avenue West.
| # | INTERSECTION | CRASHES* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheldon Rd / Waters Ave W (Town ‘N’ Country) | 107 |
| 2 | Anderson Rd / Waters Ave W (Town ‘N’ Country) | 103 |
| 3 | Waters Ave W / Hanley Rd (Town ‘N’ Country) | 98 |
| 4 | Hillsborough Ave W / Sheldon Rd (Town ‘N’ Country) | 96 |
| 5 | 301 HW S / Gibsonton Dr (Riverview) | 95 |
| 6 | Waters Ave / Himes Ave N (Tampa) | 89 |
| 7 | 301 HW S / Big Bend Rd (Riverview) | 86 |
| 8 | Bruce B Downs Bl / Fletcher Ave E (Tampa) | 84 |
| 9 | Bloomingdale Av / Bell Shoals Rd (Brandon) | 82 |
| 10 | Bloomingdale Ave / Providence Rd (Brandon) | 81 |
*Crashes between May 1, 2017 and August 31, 2018
“All For Transportation” released the list in support of a referendum on the November ballot that calls for a surtax to pay for transportation improvements in Hillsborough County.
The announcement comes after US Census Bureau released statistics showing the average commute time has increased in Hillsborough County to nearly 30 minutes.
“Commutes are getting longer. They’re getting worse. The commute time in Hillsborough County went up almost 10 percent. That’s double the national average. It’s more than any of our neighboring counties,” said Tyler Hudson of the group All for Transportation.
Hudson points to a significant reason why people are sitting in traffic a lot more.
“These commutes are getting longer because there’s more congestion. We have unsafe roads. There’s more accidents,” he said.
If the referendum passes, the money will help pay for transportation-related projects.
Christian Vargas rides his bike along Waters Avenue.
He said he’s been hit twice while trying to cross the street at Sheldon. Thankfully, he wasn’t injured.
He said the Hanley intersection used to have its own nickname.
“Used to be called ‘Death Alley’ because Hanley always had an accident. You know the Waters and Hanley area?” said Vargas. “But this is getting just as bad now. “
Vargas plans to vote yes on the sales tax increase.
“If it helps to save lives, what’s a penny, you know?”
