CLEARWATER, Fla. — Construction of a new multi-use trail over the Courtney Campbell Causeway is making some headway.
The project will see a pedestrian and bicycle overpass built crossing over Gulf to Bay Boulevard, connecting both the Bayshore Trail and Courtney Campbell Trail. One avid cyclist is looking forward to its completion.
“It’s a very, very good place to ride a bike,” said cyclist Chris Welch.
Coasting along the Courtney Campbell Trail on his bike, Welch takes in a scenic view, waves lapping along the shore and beachgoers catching some rays. Cycling views are made possible thanks to the trail.
“I’ve been riding for about ten years,” he said. “I started on the Pinellas Trail and, once I kind of learned the Pinellas Trail in other areas, it opened up opportunities to travel all throughout the county on the bike.”
Welch is an avid cycling enthusiast and triathlete, having just competed in the inaugural Ironman competition in Jacksonville. He rides this trail to train. But crossing the causeway, he says, can pose a problem.
“It is a six-lane road, high speed, heavily trafficked and I don’t normally have a problem with either a crosswalk, but I could see somebody that was a beginner cyclist or maybe a senior that’s on an e-bike and wanting to be active, or even young people. We don’t want them taking risks,” Welch said.
To help mitigate those potential issues, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is building the new multi-use trail. The project will add a pedestrian and bicycle overpass crossing over Gulf to Lake Boulevard.
“I don’t know how many people cross the street to get over to the causeway trail, but it could be three, four or five-hundred instances a day,” said Welch. “So to remove that risk for people crossing the street, I think that’s only a good thing.”
A good thing, Welch says, for not only safety, but attracting new riders to the trail as well.
“Two months ago, I rode the combination of trails across the state from the St. Pete Pier to New Smyrna Beach and back over the course of three days. That was all connected by bike trails. And those three days immediately went to the top 1% of my life. It’s just such a great experience to travel on a bike,” he said.
An experience, he says, that will be made even more enjoyable once work on the overpass is finished.
The total cost of construction on the new overpass is about $15.3 million and will span just under half a mile. Construction is expected to be completed this year.