Tampa’s roads are getting a multimillion-dollar boost. Hillsborough County has transferred $13 million to the city to fund intersection upgrades, including new traffic signals, crosswalks, and design improvements aimed at reducing crashes and congestion.

The investment comes as Tampa marks four years of its “Fix It Fast” program, launched in 2021 to repair potholes and other street issues within 72 hours of being reported. Since then, crews have filled nearly 18,000 potholes, repaired tens of thousands of square feet of damaged pavement, and fixed more than 3,000 street signs.

Mayor Jane Castor said pothole repairs remain critical but short-term. “Fixing those potholes is really just the Band-Aid. That’s not the solution. The solution is repaving the streets. And that’s one of the reasons we implemented two paving crews,” Castor said at a Tuesday news conference.

Interim Mobility Director Brandon Campbell added that speed is key to the program’s success. “We’ve got a 72-hour turnaround time from report to fix on potholes. Beyond potholes, we also address critical sign issues even faster — with a two-hour target — because we know they’re a major safety issue,” Campbell said.

With the county’s contribution and a paving budget that has grown from $10 million to more than $40 million, officials say drivers can expect both quicker fixes and more permanent resurfacing work ahead.

Castor credited city workers for keeping up the pace. “Our crew has filled in 18,000 potholes in our city… I couldn’t be more proud of our team. We would have them all lined up behind us, but they’re out there on the streets fixing it fast right now,” she said.

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(Image credit: City of Tampa)

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