New funding moves Tampa Riverwalk expansion plan forward

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa’s Riverwalk has largely been on one side of the Hillsborough River, and now new funding is moving forward a plan to expand it and connect neighborhoods in West Tampa.

Visitors and locals alike enjoy walking and running along Bayshore Boulevard and the Hillsborough River.

“I’ve been walking or running Bayshore for probably the last at least 30 years or more,” said Tom Cornett, a Tampa resident.

What will the extension do?

Big picture:

City of Tampa Mobility Director Vik Bhide said the downtown Riverwalk is being extended to the west side.

“We want to have an extension of the sidewalk under the Platt Bridge, put it up right here at this park and then continue north all the way along the west bank of the Hillsborough River,” Bhide said.

City of Tampa renderings show bike lanes, sidewalks and vibrant shorelines.

“I’ve loved the riverwalk since it’s gone up the east side of the river, so it would be great to have it extended on the other side as well,” Cornett said.

The six-phase project includes road improvements along Columbus Drive and Rome Avenue.

By the numbers:

It will cost $56 million with half of that paid for through a US Department of Transportation BUILD grant. On Thursday, Tampa’s Municipal Redevelopment Agency, which is made up of the Tampa City Council, approved using $10 million from West Tampa’s CRA budget to help pay the bill.

“We’re trying to minimize the total debt that the city is taking on. So the CRA is a huge benefit to this project being in the area, that’s what the CRAs are for,” Bhide said.

Pushback on the Riverwalk extension

What they say:

But not all residents agree.

“The $10 million could be better spent on funding or training for people to get jobs or for housing,” said Valerie Bullock, an East Tampa resident during Thursday’s CRA meeting.

City Council members Bill Carlson and Lynn Hurtak voted against.

“I’m in favor of a riverwalk, but not now. Until we fix the basics, we shouldn’t spend on nice-to-haves,” said Carlson, the District 4 council member.

Carlson said Friday that West Tampa could use that money for its list of other projects and priorities.

“We’ll need it eventually, but not before we fix the roads. We need to fix potholes before we spend on something that we don’t need,” Carlson said.

What’s next:

Residents won’t see construction for about a year, but design work is well underway. The city said the expansion adds safety, connects neighborhoods and lays the groundwork for a growing city.

“This is a game changer for Tampa, and it’s a game changer on multiple fronts,” Bhide said.

The mobility director said the vision for the riverwalk has been decades in the making and has been assembled section by section over time. The city will also look to ask the state legislature for help, Bhide added.

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