was developed as a part of the Greenways Master Plan to identify natural corridors, recreational corridors, bike/pedestrian connecting routes, and possible connectors to greenways in other counties. The 1995 conceptual plan identified the South Coast Greenway (Appendix H.1) as a recreational corridor. It is described as a north-south alignment connecting public lands on the Little Manatee River to the McKay Bay Bikeway in the City of Tampa. On-road bike lanes were identified on 19 th Avenue N.E. and Shell Point Road connecting the Greenway to Ruskin and Bahia Beach. The South Coast Greenway is also a part of a larger system of corridors. These systems include the Florida Greenways and Trails System (FGTS) - a connected statewide system of trails; and the Gulf Coast Trail - connecting trails along the West Coast of Florida. In 2016, the Hillsborough MPO adopted the Greenways and Trails Plan Update (Appendix H.2). The update identified existing, planned, and conceptual trails, side paths, green spines (buffered bike lanes), complete streets, and Sun Trail eligible trails in Hillsborough County. The update identified an intra-County connection to Manatee County along I-75 and conceptual trails connecting to Manatee County along US 41 and US 301. The Hillsborough County Existing and Proposed Trails map (Appendix H.3), dated March 17, 2017, identifies existing, proposed and funded trails, and the SUN Trail network. The map shows a realignment of the intra-County connector between the South Coast Greenway and Manatee County (originally along I-75, now along US 301). The alternative connection to Manatee County along US 301 (Appendix H.4) was approved by the Hillsborough MPO Board in 2017 in an amendment to the Greenways and Trails Plan Update . The South Coast Greenway Trail Alignment Study: Symmes Road to Adamo Drive was completed on September 2018 and is discussed further below. South Coast Greenway Trail Alignment Study A new shared-use trail connecting the South Coast Greenway Trail with the Tampa Bypass Canal Trail has been prioritized by Hillsborough County and Hillsborough MPO. The connector is expected to provide additional mobility for the communities it intersects, including Gibsonton (Figure 44). The southern sector will extend from Symmes Road to Riverview Drive and includes Gibsonton, Bullfrog Creek, and the Alafia River.
63
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog