Hillsborough County plans $195,000 pedestrian-safety upgrades near Doby Elementary in Apollo Beach

Hillsborough County has placed a $195,000 pedestrian-crossing project near Doby Elementary School in Apollo Beach into procurement, with construction currently scheduled to begin and finish in late 2026.

The project covers Covington Gardens Drive from south of Covington Stone Avenue to north of Bristol Park Drive. The county identifies the corridor as a route used by students walking to Doby Elementary.

The work is planned to make the crossing area more visible for students and families walking to school. Drivers using the corridor can expect construction activity and new traffic-control devices if the county’s current schedule holds.

Planned safety improvements

The project includes pedestrian signs, new pavement markings and rectangular rapid-flashing beacons. The beacons are flashing warning devices intended to draw drivers’ attention when pedestrians activate them at a crossing.

The combination of signs, markings and beacons was recommended after the county collected data, analyzed collisions, conducted field observations and applied engineering judgment. The project description does not represent the improvements as a guarantee that crashes will be eliminated.

Because the route serves students walking to Doby Elementary, the planned changes are aimed at a location where school-bound pedestrians and vehicle traffic share the same corridor. The project would add visible crossing equipment rather than change the school’s location or the route itself.

Budget and schedule

The county’s estimated total budget is $195,000. Of that amount, $15,000 is allocated for design and land costs, while $180,000 is estimated for construction.

The project is not yet under construction. Its current status is procurement, the phase in which the county moves toward securing the work before construction. The county’s current estimate calls for construction to begin and finish in late 2026.

The exact construction start date and contractor have not been identified. The county also warns that the cost and schedule estimates may change, so late 2026 remains a preliminary window rather than a guaranteed completion date.

What comes next

The next known step is for the project to advance through procurement. Once a contractor and more specific schedule are established, families and other drivers should have clearer information about when work will occur on Covington Gardens Drive and how traffic-control devices will be installed.

For now, the county’s plan is limited to the listed pedestrian signs, pavement markings and rectangular rapid-flashing beacons. The project page places the planned work between south of Covington Stone Avenue and north of Bristol Park Drive in Apollo Beach.