Thrive
County asks residents to weigh in on future of Pinellas Trail
Pinellas County is weighing its options for how to extend the popular Pinellas Trail and is asking the community for input.
The plan is to extend the Pinellas Trail South gap, which is part of the 75-mile planned Pinellas Trail Loop that will encircle the county and connects to other trails. The trail today was created along a portion of an abandoned railroad corridor and is used by runners and bicyclists.
The project entails extending it roughly four miles from 126th Avenue North, west of 49th Street in Pinellas Park, to Haines Bayshore Road, east of U.S. 19 in Largo/Clearwater.
The county can either use the Duke Energy utility corridor, as in other areas of the county, or constructing the trail along streets/roadways, according to county documents
The online survey is available until June 19. The survey asks about various preferred segments for the project.
The Pinellas Trail South gap project is funded through a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation with additional funding supported by the Penny for Pinellas.
Jim alexander
June 10, 2021at8:26 am
Would it not be wonderful if the Cty for once look 30 yrs into the future and determine that the short sighted Pro Developers Commission are ruining the quality of Life for Everyone already here.
Amy
June 8, 2021at10:04 pm
Please use a lot of light and wear reflective clothing if you hqve to ride a bike at night. There is a need for safe transit between Pinellas and Hillsborough.
Shelli Mack
June 8, 2021at5:06 pm
I agree @Nick Regan! Having the trail connect Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties would be amazing. Maybe in the future they will have a permanent means of public transportation that runs between the 2 counties. Although the PSTA does have the 100 and 300 to go to Tampa it only runs certain times a day. People want to get to Tampa/Clearwater/St Pete more than that, as they should have been able to see with the popularity of the Cross Bay Ferry. Maybe have a permanent ferry system. Love the Pinellas trail although I feel some parts of it could use more lighting because even though you aren’t supposed to be on it at night when it is super hot like at the moment I prefer to go at night and I am on a reverse schedule due to my occupation. Just some ideas.:)
John Schulz
June 8, 2021at3:16 pm
Pinellas County has enough houses, building and condos, keep the trial and expand it for the community. We don’t have enough parks in Pinellas County as it is.
Nick Regan
June 8, 2021at11:54 am
I feel it would be amazing if Pinellas and Hillsborough would come together to use the Howard Franklin as a pedestrian trail between the two cities. You coild connect it to the pinellas trail to add more ways to transportation between the two areas.
Since they are building the new bridge, why not use the existing east bound bridge for cyclists and pedestrians.
Thomas horn
June 8, 2021at1:15 am
The real question that needs to be answered is whether the Pinellas trail will be now and especially into the future will be primarily a public use trail for bicycles and pedestrians or for electrically powered mean of transportation