Starting this month through May 8, 2026, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office 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 26 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 aimed at educating 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, conducting improper turns or signal violations, 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 not abiding 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. Armenia Avenue to N. Rome Avenue
S. 50th Street, from Causeway Blvd to Palm River Road
E. Fletcher Avenue, from Cecelia Avenue to N. 19TH Street
US 41, from Ohio Street to Gibsonton Drive
Gibsonton Drive, from US 41 to New East Bay Road
Progress Blvd/Bloomingdale, from Magnolia Park Blvd to Watson Road
Brandon Blvd, from N. Kings Avenue to N. Mount Carmel Road
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, from Williams Road to S. Kingsway Road
W. Waters Avenue, from Dale Mabry Hwy to N. Habana Avenue
US 41, from E. College Avenue to Thriftway Plaza
W. Waters Avenue, from N. Manhattan Avenue to N. Grady Avenue
US 301, from I-4 to Harney Road
E. SR 60, from S. Valrico Road to Skywood Drive
US 92, from N. Park Road to N. Webb Road
Orient Road, from Thrasher Drive to Zeimis Drive
E. Fletcher Avenue, from I-275 to N. Nebraska Avenue
Big Bend Road, from Lincoln Road to Summerfield Crossing Blvd
US 301, from Murphy Road to Shady Falls Court
Palm River Road, from Maydell Drive to S. 78TH Street
W. Waters Avenue, from Pinehurst Drive to Hulsey Road
N. Nebraska Avenue, from E. Fletcher Avenue to Skipper Road
W. Lumsden Road, from S. Gornto Lake Road to Heather Lakes Blvd
W. Brandon Blvd, from Gornto Lake Road to S. Lakewood Drive
N Dale Mabry Hwy, from Northdale Blvd to Van Dyke Road
Causeway Blvd, from S. 78TH Street to US 301
US 92, from Baptist Church Road to Williams Road
Hillsborough Avenue, from Silvermill Drive to Sheldon Road
Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, from Lindsey Street to Sumner Road
E. College Avenue, from 18th Street SE to 30th Street SE
US 92, from Tanner Road to Haggard Road
Hanley Road, from W. Henry Avenue to Palmbrook Drive
To keep the public safe, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office offers the following tips when biking,
driving or walking:
▪ 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/.