Tampa's Green Spine cycling track will soon extend through more of Ybor City.
Construction on the path is expected to start next month and wrap up by the Fall.
The project will add bicycle lanes next to Nuccio Parkway and 15th street up to 17th avenue, where the track will transition to a wide multiuse section next to Cuscaden Park.
Construction through Ybor City will finish the eastern portion of the trail, with a final phase of work on the west side of the Hillsborough River through downtown expected to complete the track in the coming years.
"Cycling and walking are both really great forms of transportation," said Brandon Campbell, director of transportation services for the City of Tampa. "Sometimes, it's easy to overlook them as meaningful connections."
The Green Spine project is a part of a larger effort by the city to cultivate connected, livable communities across Tampa.
The efforts, known as InVision Tampa, have been ongoing for over a decade.
This combined focus on increasing housing and safe transportation options has coincided with the current development and population surge downtown.
"As cities grow and mature, particularly as you get more density, there's a greater need for other forms of transportation; whether it's additional transit, additional walking connections or better bike networks," Campbell said.
The Green Spine was the first in a series of the city's quick-build projects, or lower-budget transportation plans with shorter timelines, that aim to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.
The project added separated biking lanes to the Cass Street Bridge in early 2023.
The ultimate goal of the extension is to diversify transportation methods for residents across Tampa.
"It's really important for us to have meaningful connections that go beyond the windshield," Campbell said. "There are people who really, truly want to have good connections via their bicycle or walking to their destination.
"Having a more complete range of options for people to get where they want to go, is important to our citizens, and it's important to us."
