Petition to Preserve the Roosevelt Elementary Street Painting and Safety Improvements

To the Office of the Governor of Florida, State Legislators representing Hillsborough County, and City of Tampa Leaders:

We, the undersigned, urge you to protect and maintain the existing street painting, bike lanes, and planters surrounding Roosevelt Elementary School (3205 S Ferdinand Ave, Tampa, FL).

This project is a model of community-driven safety:

Families and neighbors raised over $33,000 to fund the initiative.
Sidewalk Stompers, an award-winning nonprofit, partnered with the City of Tampa Mobility Department to implement it.
Local artists and Cub Scouts helped transform the roadway into both a safety measure and a community landmark.

The results speak for themselves: the street painting and safety improvements slow traffic, increase driver awareness, and create safer routes for children walking and biking to school. More than 340 students participate weekly in Roosevelt’s “Walk to School Wednesday” program, benefiting from healthier habits, mental wellness, and stronger community connections.

We cannot allow these safety features to fade, be removed, or neglected. To do so would put children at risk and undo years of investment by families, neighbors, and local organizations.

We call on our Governor, our state legislators, and our city leaders to:

Preserve the Roosevelt Elementary street mural, bike lanes, and planters in their current form.

The Roosevelt Elementary mural is more than paint on asphalt. It is a visible commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children—and it must be protected.

Our kids deserve safe streets. We urge you to stand with us and keep what we’ve built.