TAMPA, FL – U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) released the following statement applauding Hillsborough County’s Board of County Commissioners' approval during its regular meeting this week of $31 million in federal investments for local projects important to the community, including $20 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for critical sidewalk repair projects and $11 million for the Big Bend Road transportation project:

“Bringing my Tampa neighbors’ hard-earned tax dollars back home to make improvements and benefit our community is a top priority,” said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor. “Neighbors and small business owners across Hillsborough County are outspoken in their desire for solutions to traffic and better sidewalks, so I am pleased that the American Rescue Plan dollars are being used to solve problems and invest in our community. I am more committed than ever to working to lower costs, grow the middle class, and build a safer, stronger, more prosperous Tampa Bay region.”

“Residents understand our desperate need for transportation funding in Hillsborough County,” Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp. “I want to thank President Biden and Congresswoman Castor for bringing us much-needed dollars for our roads and sidewalks. We are fortunate to have such a strong advocate in Washington.”

BACKGROUND

Sidewalk repair projects: 
Over 3,000 sidewalk repair requests across Hillsborough County remain open – spanning over 322 miles and impacting nearly 1,000 Hillsborough County residents. Accidents involving broken or lifted sidewalks have caused serious injury and cost the county an estimated $2 million in settlements. The county will utilize $20 million in federal funding authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to repair sidewalks that pose a danger to residents, with $15 million targeted to underserved communities.

Big Bend Road transportation project:
The Big Bend Road corridor from U.S. 41 to U.S. 301 is a major component in South Hillsborough County’s transportation network. The Big Bend Road Widening Project includes multi-modal roadway improvements with wide shared-use asphalt paths along Big Bend Road that connect new neighborhoods in the area to the schools, shops and recreational activities along the corridor. The project will provide safety enhancements in one of Hillsborough County’s fastest-growing areas. The design for this project will also include key Vision Zero elements, including high-emphasis crossings at the intersections, countdown pedestrian crossing signals, reflective pavement markers, reflective thermoplastic lane markings, and retroreflective signs for nighttime visibility.