TAMPA — Drivers say a very busy intersection in Tampa could use a traffic light.
The thing is – there was one installed. But it hasn’t been turned on yet.
It’s the intersection where the Selmon Expressway meets 21st and 22nd streets.
Truck driver Matt Silvers goes through there often.
“Every day, probably two-three times a day,” Silvers said. “Main issue is just traffic, trying to turn south onto 22nd Street. It gets really busy here, especially during rush hour.”
Without a traffic light, he says getting off the Selmon ramp and turning left can be very difficult.
“This is a dangerous area coming off of the Selmon,” Silvers said. “To turn left to go the port, trucks have a really hard time. There’s not enough room to just cross the northbound lanes and wait for southbound traffic to clear.”
That’s why he was excited to see a traffic light go up earlier this year. But it hasn’t been activated yet.
“They finished the construction but there’s never been a light turned on here,” Silvers said.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) started a project at the intersection last year to make it safer. Part of that work is the addition of the traffic light.
FDOT officials say the delay in activating the traffic light was due in part to the recent hurricanes.
The signal cabinet that powers the light was flooded and damaged. Crews installed a new one earlier this month. It’s now expected that the light will be working later this week.
Once it is activated, Silvers feels it would solve a lot of problems.
“I’ve seen numerous accidents. I’ve seen people get impatient and pull out in front of people,” Silvers said. “A working light would eliminate a lot of the problems.”
