On October 30, the Planning Commission held it’s 32nd Annual Planning & Design Awards presented by Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas at the A La Carte Pavilion. Hosted by ABC Action News Anchor, Brendan McLaughlin, this awards program is a well-respected tradition honoring the very best in planning and design in Hillsborough County. A panel of judges from outside of Hillsborough County selected ten projects to receive Awards of Merit, Excellence, and Outstanding Contribution to the Community. Among the winners were two projects near and dear to the hearts of our walking and bicycling community.
The Courtney Campbell Multiuse Trail Bridge was recognized with an Award of Excellence.
The 3,258-foot-long pedestrian bridge runs adjacent to the busy Causeway, providing a vital link in the local trail system, and breathtaking views of the area from strategically placed lookout points. At more than 45 feet above water, the bridge has the unique distinction of being the only high-level pedestrian bridge in Florida.
The judges were blown away by this substantial investment in safe walking and bicycling, offering transportation choices while celebrating a healthy lifestyle and our local natural assets along the Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway.
The Green ARTery Trail Plan received an Award of Outstanding Contribution to the Community.
The Green ARTery Perimeter Trail is a community-initiated attempt to bring neighborhoods together to provide a safe and comfortable transportation option to connect many of the city’s notable neighborhoods and parks for families, walkers, joggers, and cyclists of all levels of experience. Funded by the Hillsborough MPO, a refined Perimeter Trail concept built up the original concept developed by the GreenARTery organization.
The professional design team supported multiple public events organized by citizen volunteers from the Green ARTery organization. Now, the citizens are excited to move forward with a plan that customizes the design for each segment of the trail, including roadside multi-use pathways, off-road trails through parks and other public rights-of-way, and neighborhoods routes along low traffic neighborhood streets.
The judges felt the Green ARTery Trail Plan exceeded all judging criteria. They loved that this project was grass-roots planning at its best, and when fully implemented, will have a significant long-reaching impact on multiple neighborhoods connecting the broader community and clearly enhancing the quality of life in the City of Tampa.
Congratulations to both of these walking and bicycling dream projects!