West River BUILD Project
Network and Safety Improvements
Segments 1 - 6

About The Project


The City of Tampa has contracted with the design-build firm, Haskell, to design and construct approximately 5 miles of multi-modal network to complete the public segments of the 12.2-mile corridor, including approximately 2 miles of Riverwalk on the west bank of the Hillsborough River. The multi-use trail will run along the western and eastern sides of the river, connecting area neighborhoods with Bayshore Boulevard, Hyde Park, West Tampa, and Ridgewood Park and with the North Franklin Street Historic District, Downtown Tampa, and Ybor City.
Thanks to funding from local and federal sources, including the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the remaining segments, which include multi-modal paths, complete streets, and under bridge/over water segments, will complete the public portions of this multi-modal network.
The multi-modal segments to be completed include the areas of Platt Street, Rome Avenue, Columbus Drive, the Ridgewood Park Neighborhood, Tony Jannus Park, Arabelle Riverwalk Apartments, Plant Park, University of Tampa, and multiple schools connecting to the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, and the existing Riverwalk at Water Works Park. The multi-modal path work includes new pavement, resurfacing of the existing pavement, guard rails, lighting, landscaping, a living shoreline and minor seawall improvements. In addition to the multi-modal trails along the river, the City of Tampa’s design-build firm will design and construct complete street enhancements on Platt Street, Rome Avenue, Columbus Drive, Glenwood Drive, Ross Avenue, North Boulevard, and 7th Avenue. These improvements will also be included on street routes through the adjacent neighborhoods to improve access to multi-modal connections as well as provide additional, safe transportation alternatives.
Community Benefits
- Enhanced safety and mobility by completion of the public portions of 12.2-mile connected, multi-use trail
- Reduced bicycle and pedestrian crashes and fatalities thus working towards achieving the Vision Zero goals
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Enhanced connectivity to the Hillsborough River and the City’s Central Business District for all
- Reduced traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions by offering a healthy transportation alternative that separates bicyclists and pedestrians from motorized vehicular traffic, apart from a few crossing points
- Increased economic growth and development by attracting businesses and residents and fostering entrepreneurial opportunities
- Environmental sustainability and conservation efforts through improving seawall resiliency and fostering the shoreline habitat