TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera is set to propose the city begin working with leaders in Hillsborough and Pasco counties to make improvements to Morris Bridge Road.

Viera will discuss the effort during Thursday’s city council meeting.

Morris Bridge Road is located in Hillsborough County, and is one of two main north-south routes for people in Pasco County and North Tampa to access I-75.

Dozens of accidents a year, on top of flooding, shut the road down frequently, creating miles-long traffic backups on I-75, Cross Creek Boulevard and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

Viera said Morris Bridge Road is no longer a rural road and it shouldn’t be treated that way.

“There’s so much privity and intersection between Morris Bridge Road, the city of Tampa, Hillsborough County and our friends in Pasco County,” Councilman Viera said. “Because of all the different communities there and etcetera, we can’t just go, ‘Oh, this is a county road,’ and just leave it alone. I think that sort of attitude and disposition to Morris Bridge Road will no longer work.”

The city of Tampa last week approved $650,000 in funding to update pumping stations for Morris Bridge Road, and Hillsborough County will begin work on a $2 million safety improvement project later this year.

It will include re-striping lane markings with reflective paint, adding more visual no passing zone signs, adding speed feedback signs as well as curve warnings and flashing beacons at intersections.

Many residents believe widening Morris Bridge Road and increasing its speed limit is the solution to problems on that road.

A widening project, so far, is not on the table.