City leaders say the 6 miles of new multi-modal roads and trails will mimic the already popular Riverwalk on the east side of the Hillsborough River.
TAMPA, Fla. — Construction will soon be underway on the west side of the Hillsborough River to build a new Riverwalk. Currently, the 2.6-mile route winds along Tampa’s waterfront. This plan would add 6 miles through West Tampa.
About 2 miles of the planned west Riverwalk route will hug the waterline, then it will loop via Platt Street, Rome Avenue, and Columbus Drive.
Thursday night, the city held one more community open house for neighbors to see renderings and ask questions.
The city believes that linking more of West Tampa near the river with a Riverwalk will be an amenity that residents will cherish. But not everyone agrees.
City leaders hope that the West Riverwalk will be the same kind of attraction as the current Riverwalk on the east bank of the Hillsborough River.
“We think this is going to be a transformative project,” says Tampa Interim Mobility Director Brandon Campbell. “Of course, there’s a lot of investment that has happened on the [eastern] waterfront there. We see a lot of potential on the west side for similar yet different development.”
The first phase starts at the end of October with construction at Tony Jannus Park to add a pedestrian bridge underneath the Platt Street bridge.
The second phase will begin in January to create a new riverwalk near Ridgewood Park west of Armature Works. That’s where Diane McNeilly lives. She’s worried it’ll be a draw for the homeless and wants it kept to the west side of the river.
“It’s bringing a lot of money to Tampa, I have no problem with it,” she says. “I just don’t want them bringing it into my Riverside Heights.”
The city says any safety concerns will be addressed by police, adding the real focus should be on how it makes the area more walkable and bikeable.
“We’re really excited about continuing to build those connections where we have good segments already and we’re stitching those together with this project,” Campbell says.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor is a strong advocate of this project, previously sharing this statement:
“We are so excited about this transformational project that is much more than a linear park and world-class bike-pedestrian trail. The new West Riverwalk is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to link people to jobs, schools, and activities, while forever protecting public access to the West Tampa waterfront for future generations.”