New bicycle and pedestrian paths will line the roads along USF St. Petersburg by November 2014.
City Trails, an initiative by the City of St. Petersburg, is funding the creation of the Historic Booker Creek Trail. The recreational trail will allow access to non-motorized traffic, including bicycles, longboards and pedestrians.
“It’ll look a lot like a wide sidewalk immediately adjacent to the campus,” said Cheryl Stacks, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for City Trails. The sidewalk is designed to be 10 feet wide.
Trails will run from Roser Park through Martin Luther King Jr. Street South, taking the path through Third Street South, past Harbor Hall. Trails already constructed include one that runs down 16th Street South through Campbell Park.
Other plans include path access along St. Petersburg’s waterfront to include First Street South near Al Lang stadium. Altogether, the trail additions will extend over three miles.
“There’s so many things happening around the waterfront that are really exciting,” Stacks said.
The St. Petersburg City Council adopted bicycle trails as a project in 2003. In 2008, residents and members of the Bayboro corridor of St. Petersburg voiced interest in a trail running through the area. Stacks noted communication for trail planning with area hospitals, research facilities and John Dickson, USFSP’s facilities director.
Stacks said the trail will give USFSP students access to other areas of St. Petersburg. It will connect directly to the Pinellas Trail, which could allow some commuter students to choose bicycling or longboarding to campus over driving.
In preparation for the new trails, bicycle training and safety classes will be offered to students and faculty.
It will take more than six months to construct the entire trail. To view a map of current and future trails in St. Petersburg, visit www.mapguide.stpete.org/stpetegoogle/transportation/.
