“I ride my bike to work every day,” Justin Doyle told me while pouring beers on a hot July afternoon at the Horse and Jockey Pub in South Pasadena. He was responding to my questions about bicycling on Pasadena Avenue, where the pub is located. I’ve biked on the corridor myself many times and have…
Public Notice Concerning Forward Pinellas, in its Role as Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program In accordance with requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation as set forth in 49 C.F.R. Part 26, as amended, Forward Pinellas, in its role as the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization, hereby notifies the public that…
On July 13, 2016, Forward Pinellas, in its capacity as the metropolitan planning organization, will hold a public hearing regarding Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) proposed amendments and a proposed amendment of the Public Participation Plan. Forward Pinellas, in its capacity as the Pinellas Planning Council, will hold a public hearing on Subthreshold Countywide Plan Map Amendments…
The recent vote to support funding for the Tampa Bay Express (TBX) in the Hillsborough County MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program illustrates the difficult choices we face to improve transportation in the Tampa Bay region. The Florida Department of Transportation’s plan to construct variable priced toll lanes on Interstate 275, I-4 and I-75 has sparked much public debate…
In April, the St. Petersburg City Council approved funding for a bike share program in its downtown area. The program will launch in September with the roll out of 30 stations and 300 GPS-enabled smart bikes. Now the City needs to figure out where to locate the stations and they’re looking to the locals for…
In April, the St. Petersburg City Council approved funding for a bike share program in its downtown area. The program will launch in September with the roll out of 30 stations and 300 GPS-enabled smart bikes. Now the City needs to figure out where to locate the stations and they’re looking to the locals for…
The role of transportation and land development in Pinellas County took on increased importance with passage of a special act of the Florida Legislature in 2014 unifying a 13-member governing board of local elected officials with responsibility for countywide transportation and land use planning. Pinellas remains Florida’s most densely developed county with nearly one million residents…
http://forwardpinellas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1280px-ciclovc3ada_bogotc3a1_cra_7_con_cl_17.jpg Elected officials and professionals involved in efforts to improve transportation infrastructure in their communities often talk about mobility and safety being the top priorities. These are necessary pursuits. But the core values of building a quality transportation system are about health and equity. These themes are central to the mission of 8 80 Cities,…
Pick almost any month and you can read about a crash involving a pedestrian and automobile somewhere along Gulf Boulevard in Pinellas County. Often, these crashes include a fatality or serious injury. It’s an unfortunate and unacceptable situation that results from a combination of increased travel demand, conflicts over limited space, unfamiliar tourists, and a busy…
In 2012, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) informed the MPO that bids on projects around the state were coming in lower than expected and that FDOT had extra (that’s right-extra!) money for transportation projects. Turns out, they had just about enough to fund improvements to Gandy Boulevard from 4th Street North to 16th Street…
Access, the means of approaching or entering a place, is an often overlooked indicator of how successfully a community is evolving from nondescript corridor to place. Shifting from an emphasis on driving to an emphasis on walking, bikes and buses, it’s critical how consciously we plan for access. Access is often thought of in the narrowest…
I set out on a warm and sunny winter day after work, before the next cold front arrives, to meet the dual objectives of exercise and to enjoy social interaction at a local gathering spot in nearby Largo. It’s a 1.3 mile walk from my place in Belleair Bluffs along West Bay Drive to the Barley…