Hillsborough County advances nearly $3 million Safe Routes project for Brandon schools
Hillsborough County’s Safe Routes to School project for Brandon High School and Limona Elementary School has reached the design phase, moving a nearly $3 million pedestrian and bicycle safety effort closer to construction.
The county’s project page, dated July 17, 2026, lists the location as Brandon and says construction is scheduled to begin in early 2027 and finish in early 2028. Construction has not started. The project is intended to improve routes used by students and families traveling to and from the two schools, while the work itself is expected to create temporary disruptions for nearby commuters and school traffic.
Project cost and timeline
Hillsborough County estimates the project’s total cost at $2,970,846.95. The estimate includes $120,581.61 for planning, $450,265.34 for design and land, and $2.4 million for construction.
The county estimated that design would be completed in mid-2026. As of July 17, however, the project was still listed as being in the design phase. The county also cautions that both cost and schedule estimates may change and are updated weekly.
The retrieved project information does not specify the final design features or the exact construction limits. It therefore does not establish which individual sidewalks, crossings, bicycle facilities or other improvements will ultimately be built. The county’s stated estimate also should not be read as confirmation that every possible improvement has been funded beyond the current project plan.
Routes developed with schools and communities
The routes were developed after study and discussions with Hillsborough County Public Schools, advisory committees and communities. The project focuses on pedestrian and bicycle facilities serving Brandon High School and Limona Elementary, connecting the county’s transportation work directly to daily school access.
That means the project’s practical effect will extend beyond students who walk or ride. Parents, school employees, residents and drivers using roads near the campuses may see construction activity during the planned 2027–28 window. The available county information does not yet provide a traffic-control plan or specific closure dates.
Broader pressure on Brandon-area schools
The project comes as Brandon-area schools also face housing pressures affecting employees. A July 23 report by Spectrum News Bay News 9 said Hillsborough County Public Schools is considering a former McLane Middle School property in Brandon for workforce housing. A school board member said that proposal is intended to help recruit and retain educators amid rising housing costs.
The workforce-housing idea is separate from the Safe Routes project and remains a proposal, not a completed development. The county’s next known step on the school-access project is continued design work ahead of the planned early-2027 construction start.
Sources
- Safe Routes to School – Brandon HS & Limona ES, Hillsborough County
- Hillsborough schools explores workforce housing for staff, Spectrum News Bay News 9
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