Discover All the Trails Tampa Bay Has to Offer With the Tri-County Trails Map
Check out SCTPA’s interactive trails map for Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas.
The Pinellas Trail – Is perception reality, and what can we do about it?
By Alex Burns, USF Intern People are getting outdoors and enjoying the trails more than ever before. About two million residents and visitors enjoyed the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail in 2021, whether for a leisurely stroll, exercise, or commuting. This multimodal corridor has become an essential part of daily life of Pinellas County residents and…
New state laws will impact local communities
By Linda Fisher, AICP The 2022 Florida Legislative Session ended on March 14. While it received the most attention for a handful of bills dealing with controversial topics such as LGBTQ education and abortion, the session also saw passage of new “local preemption” bills that will affect how local communities govern themselves. The bills below…
Pinellas Population Hits New Heights
By Jared Austin Attend any planning-related meeting and I guarantee someone will say the phrase “growth and redevelopment.” Whether it’s the gorgeous sunshine, incredible amenities, or the vibrant communities, we are constantly planning for an ever-growing population. Over the past decade, 2.7million people have moved to Florida and as the 7th largest county, Pinellas has…
Turning Words into Action
By Whit Blanton, FAICP and Angela Ryan At the City of Dunedin City Commission Workshop, Tuesday, December 12, 2021, Mayor Buljalski and her fellow commissioners put their words into action, first with the adoption of the Safe Streets Pinellas Action Plan and then with the approval of a midblock traffic signal at the intersection of…
Next Steps for Passenger Rail in Florida and Tampa Bay
By Whit Blanton, FAICP Regional leaders formally renewed discussions of developing passenger rail in Tampa Bay with state officials from the Florida Department of Transportation last week. The meeting, hosted by the Sun Coast Transportation Planning Alliance (SCTPA), focused on the rail tracks owned and operated by CSX, the national freight rail conglomerate, renewing a…
Micromobility – What’s in your community?
By Angela Ryan My first experience with micromobility was with an e-scooter share program in Washington, D.C. I was working on assignment in the Nation’s capital, and it would take me hours by car to get from my apartment to the office. Eventually, I realized an e-scooter was the most efficient way to travel to…
Gulf Coast Safe Streets Hybrid Summit Tackles Regional Safety Issues
By Amy Elmore The 4th annual Gulf Coast Safe Streets Summit is going hybrid and it’s free! The Sun Coast Transportation Planning Alliance (SCTPA) is bringing together industry leaders, elected officials, policymakers, planners, businesses, nonprofits and residents to encourage safety and accessibility for everyone in our region, providing an opportunity for education, partnership and collaboration. …
One Region, One Voice
By Chelsea Favero, AICP We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re trying to get your kids to school in Pasco and then drive through rush-hour traffic to your job in Tampa. Maybe you’re looking forward to making that cross-county trip to hit the beaches or see a show this weekend. Maybe you can’t wait to go…
Making the Most of an Internship Experience
By Rodney Chatman, AICP In 2020 Forward Pinellas entered into a business partnership with the University of South Florida’s College of Social Sciences to provide annual support for an internship program within the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. This was an important step to create a formal internship program with the Tampa Bay region’s…
Funding For Our Future
By Chelsea Favero, AICP The most common question I get asked is, what does Forward Pinellas do? That’s quite a loaded question because we’re involved in so many facets of our community, but my usual answer is first and foremost doing whatever we can to make a better quality of life for our community now…
Who decides for your community? State law vs. local regulation
By Linda Fisher Who decides whether the house next door to yours can be used as an Airbnb? Or a home-based business? Or whether a new house needs to fit in with the neighborhood character? If your first thought is to turn to your city council or town commission, think again. Each year, Florida…