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Road, safety changes to be made where cars crashed into Tampa homes

SE Seminole Heights neighbors demanded changes
Posted at 6:29 PM, Dec 06, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-06 18:29:40-05

TAMPA, Fla. — Major changes are being made in Southeast Seminole Heights after multiple car accidents. 

"I think that they run lights,” said Southeast Seminole Heights homeowner Phyllis Kinzer.

Kinzer hears the accidents from inside her home near Highland and Osbourne Avenues. 

She says one crash even took out a neighbor's porch.

"They would know the light was going to change and yet they would go fast on through here,” she said.

RELATED: SUV slams into Tampa home; continuing trend in area for 2018

We told you about multiple cars crashing into homes and rampant speeders including a wreck the day after Thanksgiving Day.

So the State and the City of Tampa are adding signal heads, reflective pavement markings and flex posts. 

"The main problem that we found is that cars are just going too fast,” said FDOT Metropolitan Planning Administrator Stephen Benson.

We found there have been 96 crashes along this stretch of North Highland in the last five years.

Half resulted in injuries and one man even died.

This year alone, there have been 19 crashes.

The City of Tampa is even considering reducing the speed limit.

"We're going to have pavement markings installed on several approaches. So southbound Florida Avenue approaching Violet Street. We're going to install 15 mile-per-hour pavement markings in the lanes,” said Benson.

We'll let you know how soon all the changes take place.