More Pinellas County trails to come

St. Petersburg Times editor Jim Verhulst pauses on a recent Tuesday at one of his favorite Pinellas Trail spots — where the Tropicana Field parking lot opens up to a bridge that spans Booker Creek.

By Mariana Minaya, Times Staff Writer
In print: Sunday, July 27, 2008

Pinellas County plans to add about 125 miles of bike paths to make the county safer and more economical for cyclists. 

Two segments of a bike trail that will run around the county recently have been finished, and in the next 10 years the entire loop will be done. Eventually the county intends to have a 200-mile network of trails that will connect key points in the county.

Here's a look at the recent work and some of what is planned.

Downtown extension

One of the most recent additions to the loop is the downtown extension from 34th Street S to the St. Petersburg waterfront. 

It is already in use, but the official opening will be next month. 

Progress Energy Trail

Construction on one portion of the Progress Energy Trail, which is the eastern side of the loop, was finished last month. 

That section begins on Belleair Road in mid county and runs north to Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater. 

The entire 20-mile length of the Progress Energy Trail will start at Weedon Island in St. Petersburg, run north diagonally across the county and end at Tampa Road, north of Dunedin. Plans call for it to be finished in 10 years.

North, South Bay Trails

In the next 90 days, construction will begin on a section of the South Bay Trail called Clam Bayou Trail.

It will intersect with the Pinellas Trail at about 40th Street S in St. Petersburg and head south to the Sunshine Skyway. 

It will take five years to complete and cost $4.5-million in federal, state and city funds.

The North Bay Trail is in the design stage. Construction is to begin within the year. It will run from Demens Landing, where the downtown extension ends, north to the Gandy Bridge. It is to be completed in five years and will cost about $6.5-million in federal, state, county and city funds.

Read more about the push to finish the Upper Tampa Bay Trail here.

Comments

[Chip Haynes]

If you like the idea of a 75-mile loop trail around Pinellas County, along with connecting trails to get you there, I'd suggest you send an encouraging word or two to your city and county commissioners, and let them know you think this is a project you care about, and one that you would like to see done without delay.

[Bill Cotney]

The Progress Energy Trail is the one I'm looking forward to! I only live about a mile from it, and right now I have to head west 5 miles to the Pinellas Trail to go southeast to St. Pete.

Course, I'd really rather use Belcher to go south, if they'd ever get the bike lane done! Then again, it may be done! I rode it back north last week and the lane was mostly finished between .. hmmm .. 54th Av N? .. Park Blvd? .. and Ulmerton. (Can't remember where it started, only that it was nice to have while it lasted!)

Belcher now has 2 sections of bike lanes .. one at the very north end and one almost at the south end. Too bad they're not connected.

Anyone know what the plans are on this one?

[Chip Haynes]

Hey, Bill- as you probably know, the PET is done from Belleair Road up to Brighhouse Field in Clearwater. (It's not officially open, but it's basically done.) That means you can slip over to that trail, go north and access Clearwater's Ream Wilson Trail all the way in to downtown Safety Harbor. The one trail that really needs strong, vocal public support right now is Clearwater's proposed Druid Road Trail, connecting the PET to the Pinellas Trail to Clearwater Beach. The only good news there? The Mandalay Channel Trail Bridge should be open in a week or so.

Woo-Hoo!

[Kerstin Upmeyer]

Whoo-Hoo indeed Chip! :-)
I am so pleased about the continued expansion of the trails and bike lanes. As well as seeing more and more people using them as gas prices continue to bit people's wallets. Think I'll send an email to those county commissioners right now, let's keep it coming!

[Chip Haynes]

Hey there, Kerstin! You rock!

What we need are more champions on the city and county commissions in Pinellas County. Right now, Fred Marquis is only holiding the county administrator position on a temporary basis. (He actually retired some years ago, and was bought back to fill the vacated slot until someone else could be found.) We need to do all we can to make those those people in positions of authority know and understand how important bicycle facilities are in this county. Never assume that they do.

Never.

[Kerstin Upmeyer]

Chip, what's the easiest way to get hold of these folks? Through Pinellas County's website?

[Chip Haynes]

Yeah, the county is on line at www.pinellascounty.org, and they should have links right there to each city's web site within the county. Remember folks, be enthusiastic but polite. No government is required by law to build bike trails, so it's all descretionary spending. You need to impress elected officials that it's a very good idea, and a wise expenditure.