From September 2026 through May 7, 2027, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) will have additional deputies on patrol at specific corridors with a high occurrence of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes. Special attention will be directed towards increasing awareness of the dangerous behaviors that are contributing to serious and fatal injuries at these locations.
Hillsborough County ranks in the top 23 counties in Florida for traffic crashes resulting in serious and fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. To help reverse this trend, HCSO is participating in the Florida Department of Transportation High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) Program, which educates motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians on Florida's traffic laws to improve safety on Hillsborough County roads.
Deputies will look for drivers speeding, failing to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, making improper turns or violating signals, and using hand-held devices while driving. Deputies also will watch for pedestrians who cross the street illegally or fail to yield to motorists who have the right-of-way. Bicyclists will be stopped for riding against traffic, riding at night without lights, or failing to abide by the same laws as motor vehicles. Deputies will issue warnings and citations only when appropriate.
Funding for this program is provided through a contract with the University of North Florida's Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM), funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office will receive funds for overtime hours for deputies to conduct operations to educate the public about bicycle and pedestrian safety.
The following locations will be part of the upcoming HVE operation:
- W Hillsborough Avenue, from Ambassador Drive to Beaumont Center Blvd
- W Waters Avenue, from N Manhattan Avenue to N Gomez Avenue
- SR 674, from 7th Street to Railroad Street
- E Fletcher Avenue, from Cecelia Avenue to N 19TH Street
- E Bearss Avenue, from N Florida Avenue to N Nebraska Avenue
- E Fletcher Avenue, from I-275 to US 41
- US 41, from Ohio Street to Gibsonton Drive
- US 92, from N Wilder Road to Jim Lefler Circle
- SR 60/Brandon Boulevard, from Buckingham Place to S Oakwood Avenue
- Gibsonton Drive, from US 41 to New East Bay Road
- CR 584/W Waters Avenue, from Northbridge Boulevard to SR 589/Veterans Expressway
- SR 41/N Florida Avenue, from E Fowler Avenue to Halliday Park Drive
- US 301, from Murphy Road to River Walk Court
- SR 574, from Lindsey Street to Sumner Road
- N Nebraska Avenue, from E Fletcher Avenue to Skipper Road
- Progress Boulevard/Bloomingdale Avenue, from Magnolia Park Boulevard to Watson Road
- Orient Road, from E Hillsborough Avenue to Zeimis Drive
- Sydney Dover Road, from Downing Street to SR 574
- CR 581, from Grand Pavilion Drive to Cove Bend Drive
- US 41/Tamiami Trail, from E Shell Point Road to 19th Avenue NE
- Big Bend Road, from Lincoln Road to Summerfield Crossing Boulevard
- SR 574/E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, from Orient Road to US 301
- US 41/50th Street, from Causeway Boulevard to Palm River Bridge (Southern Bridge entrance/exit)
- Fishhawk Boulevard, from Hometown Lane to Deepbrook Drive
- S Valrico Road, from Innergary Place to E SR 60
- W Brandon Boulevard, from S Gornto Lake Road to S Lakewood Drive
- Dale Mabry Highway, from Mapledale Drive to Van Dyke Road
- SR 60/Brandon Boulevard, from S Valrico Road to Skywood Drive
- Ehrlich Road/W Bearss Avenue, from Hutchison Drive to Smitter Road
- SR 580, from W Idlewild Avenue to Cortez Drive
- CR 582/E Bearss Avenue, from N 22nd Street to Livingston Avenue
- US 41, from E 127th Avenue to E 131st Avenue
- Hanley Road, from Wilshire Drive to W Cluster Avenue
- E Hillsborough Avenue, from Walton Way to Casino Entrance Road
- SR 574/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, from Williams Road to Hewitt Street
- W Lumsden Road, from Providence Road to Heather Lakes Boulevard
- US 41, from E North Branch Road to Powell Road
- E College Avenue, from 18th Street SE to 33rd Street SE
- US 92, from Baptist Church Road to Williams Road
- SR 580, from Silvermill Drive to Memorial Highway
- 19th Avenue NE, from Dandelion Street to 30th Street SE
- Kingsway Road, from SR 574/Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard to Virginia Avenue
- US 92, from Tanner Road to Haggard Road
- Bloomingdale Avenue, from S Kings Avenue to Bell Shoals Road
- Causeway Boulevard, from S 78th Street to US 301
- Palm River Road, from Maydell Drive to S 78th Street
- N Dover Road, from Hopewell Road to Sydney Road
- W Waters Avenue, from Sheldon Road to Country Hollow Drive
▪ Drivers: obey speed limits, never drive impaired, and always watch for pedestrians and bicyclists
▪ Bicyclists: obey traffic laws, ride in the direction of traffic, and use lights when riding at night
▪ Pedestrians: cross in crosswalks or at intersections, obey pedestrian signals, and make sure you are visible to drivers when walking at night
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) developed Florida’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Focused Initiative in 2011 to lead all efforts to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety in the state. The public education campaign was branded “Alert Today Florida.”
The goal of this initiative is to eliminate traffic crashes on Florida’s roads that result in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. Objectives include advancing data collection, analysis, and evaluation to guide the implementation of comprehensive safety strategies directed towards areas with the highest representation of traffic crashes resulting in serious or fatal injuries to pedestrians and bicyclists. Additional information about pedestrian and bicycle safety is available at www.alerttodayflorida.com/.
