Pinellas County is improving the safety and walkability of its trails with a plan to connect the Courtney Campbell Trail to the Bayshore Trail.
A $15 million overpass will help pedestrians cross State Road 60 without leaving the trail that connects Tampa to Clearwater.
Once complete in late 2026, pedestrians will be able to travel from the Courtney Campbell Trail to the Pinellas Trail via the Bayshore and Ream Wilson Trails.
And Pinellas County planner Kyle Simpson said there is a plan for a more direct connection to the Pinellas Trail.
"It's in the very beginning stages, but we're looking to provide another connection so you wouldn't have to go all the way up to the Ream Wilson Trail,” Simpson said.
He said this connection is an extra 3.5 miles.
He said the county is developing a study that would create a direct connection between the Courtney Campbell and Pinellas trails.
The overpass is just one way the county is working with neighboring Hillsborough and Pasco Counties to improve safety and walkability in the Tampa Bay area.
"Every time we talk with the public, we hear how important it is for people to be able to go out and walk, bike, skate, whatever with their families and their kids in a safe and comfortable manner,” Simpson said.
He said the overpass is the safest, but most expensive option, so Pinellas County has to be picky about which intersections get this upgrade.
They chose to build one at State Road 60 to reduce accidents and delays caused by pedestrians crossing the causeway.
Simpson added that this project is part of an ongoing effort “to make sure all the trails that we’re building connect to each other.” He said he wants the walking, biking and skating experience between counties to be “a seamless experience.”
