Starting Friday, May 25, the city of Tampa is reducing the speed limit on Bayshore Boulevard from 40 mph to 35 mph.
The move comes after a crash yesterday killed a mother and injured her young daughter.
Steve Hegarty, a spokesman for the Tampa Police Department, said the new speed limits will be enforced as signs are placed.
"What are we doing going forward? We're gonna do the same thing, which is we're going to go out there and if people are going too fast, we're either going to give them a citation or we're gonna give them a warning," Hegarty said.
The city had already planned to reduce the speed, replace signs and add crosswalks, among other safety modifications, but decided to move forward with the Bayshore Boulevard project sooner because of Wednesday's crash.
According to a news release, the speed limit reduction was part of its "anticipated traffic calming plan and (the city) had advised all of the affected neighborhood groups and interested parties of this decision."
"In addition, there are a whole series of improvements and modifications that will be incorporated over the next few months to make Bayshore safer for both pedestrians and vehicles."
Hegarty said officers have been recently patrolling Bayshore for speeding drivers and were out writing tickets the morning of the fatal crash.
Police say Jessica Reisinger was legally crossing the street with her daughter Lillia Raubenolt when they were hit by a speeding car, which was racing another. The car that struck Reisinger was driven by Cameron Herrin of Tampa.
"As far as the enforcement on our side, we've been doing it very, very consistently and (speeding has) been an issue," Hegarty said.
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