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Mayor pledges roadway widening

After being delayed in traffic herself, Mayor Pam Iorio said bids to widen Cross Creek Boulevard will be opened soon.

By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN
Published February 12, 2006

HERITAGE ISLES - Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio was 20 minutes late Thursday night for her speaking engagement before the Northeast Tampa Women in Business group at the Heritage Isles Country Club.

"I'm sorry," she said, "it was the traffic."

The group that works, lives, and waits every day in New Tampa traffic roared.

Iorio promised that two-lane Cross Creek Boulevard, notorious for its hourlong waits during school dropoffs and pickups, and during rush hour, and at the beginning and end of church services, would be widened.

Iorio mentioned a clergy member at St. Mark's Catholic Church on Cross Creek who doesn't like driving to the building because of the congestion.

"When you've got a priest who doesn't want to go to church, we've got to widen the roadway," she said.

The city will open bids for the expansion project beginning March 11, she said.

Iorio was upbeat as her appearance came hours after the city found a new home for the Tampa Museum of Art.

"I don't think I've ever had a bad day," she said of her 3-year run as mayor.

She proudly announced that crime was down 30 percent since she has been mayor; new condos are going to be built downtown; and they're trying to improve the drainage system in South Tampa.

She connected with her female audience, sharing with them her struggles dealing with teenagers at home. She called her teenage daughter's bedroom a code enforcement issue.

"When she goes off to college, I'm going to write a letter of condolence to her roommate," she said.

She urged them to make a difference.

"Women in particular are awfully good at juggling a whole bunch of different things and making an impact," she said. "Take action."

[Last modified February 11, 2006, 10:43:05]