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Upper Tampa Bay Trail Hits A Fork In The Road

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By MICHELE SAGER

msager@tampatrib.com

Published: March 25, 2009

NORTHDALE - County leaders have to decide how to spend what's left of funding for the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and turned to the public for ideas.

The county recently held a community meeting to discuss how to move forward on the next phase of the recreational trail. The Upper Tampa Bay Trail, when completed, will run 15 miles from Memorial Highway to the Suncoast Parkway Trail, which runs another 42 miles to Citrus County.

But the county must buy another seven miles of right of way from where the trail now ends at Peterson Road Park to the Suncoast Parkway. Four land owners have refused to sell right of way land to the county, making it impossible to complete the current designed alignment of the trail.

So county leaders asked the public for input on how to use the remaining $1.9 million for acquisition and another $2.5 million for the most northern segment of the Hillsborough County trail. Their options are:

•Continue to try purchasing land for the trail with the hope land owners would come around or purchase land for an alternative route.

•Use the money to complete the northern segments, plus trailheads where the county has land. This would give more riding paths, but the segments would not be connected until more funding and land could be found.

About 30 people attended the meeting and views were divided. Some said they wanted something built even if it means the trails won't be connected. But others said the county should continue trying to purchase land while prices are down.

One resident said the county shouldn't move forward until an alternative route can be found that could possibly connect the trails. County leaders are considering an alternate design that would take the path from Peterson Park over to Lake Rogers Park. But that would take the trail west of Gunn Highway, forcing bikers to cross the winding two-lane road known for speeding vehicles.

One woman said Gunn Highway is too dangerous for bikers and held up a beverage can that was hurled from a car at her husband's head. She said luckily he was wearing a helmet.

Another resident suggested the county explore teaming up with the Florida Department of Transportation to use the right of way on Gunn Highway to create a safe bike trail along the road.

Rich Reddy, a representative from Commissioner Ken Hagan's office, offered the residents some hope that the trail might see additional funding for completion. He said residents may want to consider funding the northern segments now, meaning a completion in late 2010. About that time residents may be asked to consider a transportation tax referendum. Hagan has said he won't support a tax referendum unless it includes a provision for full funding to complete the trail.

The county is also looking at matching grant dollars from the state. The county estimates it will cost about $13 million to finish Phase IV of the trail.

But more money doesn't guarantee the needed land. Some residents want the county to acquire the land through eminent domain. County commissioners said they aren't prepared to take that action.

"Nobody wants to take someone's house so someone can ride a bike," Reddy said. "That's going nuclear."
County leaders collected comments from the group and will present a report to the county commission May 6.

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-1523.

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