Forward Pinellas Wants to Hear Your Thoughts on Alt US 19
~~ A new plan will provide recommendations for redevelopment and transportation enhancements along Alternate US 19 ~~
Pinellas County, FL——- In June 2022, Forward Pinellas launched a new planning initiative to identify a redevelopment and economic opportunity vision for the Alternate US 19 corridor from Clearwater south to St. Petersburg. The initiative is known as Advantage Alt 19: Investing in People and Places along the Alternate US 19 Corridor. While Pinellas County continues to grow, there is a need to plan for the next generation of residents and foster an environment that promotes creation of new employment and housing opportunities. This will be necessary to keep our economy vibrant and productive. The purpose of the Advantage Alt 19 project is to provide people with better access from their homes to their jobs and job training opportunities as well as other desired destinations via reliable transportation options.
The Advantage Alt 19 plan will accomplish this goal by:
• Developing a strategy to allow for redevelopment in a way that addresses both current and future community needs; and
• Addressing transportation barriers that exist along and around the Corridor to increase accessibility, safety and connectivity to housing, jobs, and other regional destinations like shopping, parks, beaches, and the Pinellas Trail.
The project is part of the countywide Advantage Pinellas Investment Corridor Strategy, where a set of roadway corridors within Pinellas County have been identified for redevelopment opportunities linking jobs and housing. It is partnership between Forward Pinellas, the cities of Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County. The agency is also working closely with partner agencies and organizations such as the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), as well as countless stakeholders.
Public engagement will be a big component of this project, and Forward Pinellas is launching the first phase of outreach at the end of October and beginning of November. The agency will host two
workshops and one virtual corridor-wide listening session in partnership with the municipalities.
The workshops will be in an open house format and welcome attendees to come anytime within the two hour window.
• The listening session will be held on October 24, 2022, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST and will be a virtual meeting in Zoom.
• The first workshop will be held on October 26, 2022, from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST at the Largo Central Park Performing Arts Center. This workshop is targeted for the northern end of the study area, which includes portions of Clearwater, Largo, and unincorporated Pinellas County.
• The second workshop will be held on November 1, 2022, from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM EST at the St. Petersburg College Seminole Campus. This workshop is targeted for the southern end of the study area, which includes portions of Seminole, St. Petersburg, and unincorporated Pinellas County.
Interested attendees are encouraged to visit the project’s website at:
forwardpinellas.org/projects/investment-corridor-transition-plan/.
The project website features an overview of the project and a link to register for each of the engagement opportunities. It also includes an interactive online corridor map where attendees can note any opportunities and constraints that they see in the study area, as well as an online survey to provide additional feedback.
Once the first phase of outreach is complete, Forward Pinellas will incorporate its findings into the existing conditions analysis and continue with the next phase of the project, which involves developing a redevelopment vision for the Alt 19 corridor. Over the duration of the project, three phases of outreach are currently planned, with the next phase in Spring 2023 and the third phase in Summer 2023. The project is scheduled to be completed in the Fall 2023. Opportunities for involvement will be provided throughout the process.
For more information and to stay up to date, click here: ForwardPinellas.org/projects/investment-corridor-transition-plan/
For more information on Forward Pinellas, visit www.ForwardPinellas.org.
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