Pinellas Trail

Infobox Hiking trail
Name=Fred E. Marquis Pinellas Trail
Photo=Ptrail main.jpg
Caption=Section of the Pinellas Trail
Location=Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Length=34 mi; 55 km
Start/End Points=Tarpon Springs, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
Use=Cycling, Walking, Hiking, Jogging, Inline Skating
ElevChange=
HighPoint=
LowPoint=
Difficulty=Easy to Moderate
Season=Year round
Sights=
Hazards=

The Fred E. Marquis Pinellas Trail is a pathway in Pinellas County in the U.S. state of Florida. It stretches from Tarpon Srings in the north to St. Petersburg in the south, passing through the towns of Crystal Beach, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Bay Pines, South Pasadena and Gulfport. It is generally used for exercise and leisure (such as walking, jogging, cycling and inline skating), but can also be used as an alternative to driving. Motor vehicles, other than wheelchairs are prohibited on the trail. The distance of the main trail currently covers 34 miles (55 km).

History

In 1983, a man whose son was killed while riding his bike helped form the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organizations Bicycle Advisory Committee. This committee, in conjunction with the Pedestrian Safety Committee, wanted a safe place to enjoy cycling, hiking or jogging. At the same time, Pinellas County officials had the problem of what to do with a 34 mile (55 km) corridor of abandoned CSX railroad right-of-way.

On December 1, 1990, the first five mile (8 km) stretch of the trail opened linking Taylor Park in Largo to Seminole Park in Seminole. The trail’s popularity exceeded all expectations, and with the passage of the first Penny for Pinellas one-cent local option sales tax, plans were made to connect the rest of the county.

In 2003, the trail was designated as a National Recreation Trail in the National Trails System by United States Department of Interior, National Park Service.

Timeline

* 1888 The Orange Belt Railway arrives in St. Petersburg.
* 1983 Railroad right-of-way purchased by Florida Department of Transportation.
* 1984 Pinellas Bicycle Advisory Committee proposes using the right-of-way as a bike route.
* 1988 Pinellas Trails Inc. forms, expands the idea to a linear park and promotes public support.
* 1989 The Pinellas Trail Project is approved by the Board of County Commissioners and they allocate $1.5 million to build a 15 mile (24 km) segment. County voters approve the Penney-for-Pinellas sales tax referendum with funding to complete 35 miles (56 km) of trail.
* 1990 Two Trail preview sites are built near Seminole City Park and at Curlew Road and Alt. 19 in Dunedin. Five miles (8 km) of the Pinellas Trail from Taylor Park to Seminole City Park are completed on December 1st.
* 1991 The first Trail overpass opens over Ulmerton Road, Largo.
* 1992 Trail from Taylor Park to Ozona opens. The West Bay Drive overpass in Largo is completed.
* 1993 Trail from Seminole City Park to St. Petersburg opens. The Trail overpass at Orange Street and Alt. U.S. 19 opens.
* 1994 St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs sections of the Trail open.
* 1996 Park Boulevard overpass opens in Seminole.
* 1997 Seminole Boulevard and 113th overpasses in Seminole open. The downtown Clearwater section opens and construction on the Cross Bayou Bridge begins.
* 1999 The Friendship Trail Bridge (old Gandy Bridge) linking Pinellas County and Hillsborough County opens.
* 2000 Cross Bayou Bridge opens in Seminole.
* 2001 Park Street overpass near Tyrone Boulevard opens.
* 2002 Central Avenue, 1st Avenue South and Pasadena Avenue overpass opens.
* 2003 Pinellas Trail designated as a National Recreation Trail in the National Trails System by United States Department of Interior, National Park Service.
* 2008 Pinellas Trail extends to Demen's Landing Park in St. Petersburg from former southern terminus at 34th Street South at the north side of Gibb's High School.

Future

When completed this unique linear park will convert approximately 47 miles (76 km) of unused railroad easement and other rights-of-way into a trail for runners, bicyclists, walkers, skaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Trivia

* The Pinellas Trail was named in honor of Fred E. Marquis, former Pinellas County Administrator who served from 1979 until 2000.
* An average of 90,000 people use the Trail each month.
* Some of the areas of the Pinellas Trail are known to go through dangerous neighborhoods, especially through Southern Saint Petersburg. People using the trail are advised to exercise caution and use common sense when scheduling your hours of travel.

* ELEVATION CHALLENGES: The trail currently has 9 bridges: (From north to south) 1. Alternate U.S. 19 (just north of Curlew Road). 2. West Bay Drive (between mile markers 15 & 16). 3. Ulmerton Road (just north of mile marker 14). 4. 78th Avenue North/Park Blvd. (between m.m. 10 & 11). 5. 113th Street (just south of m.m. 10) 6. Seminole Boulavard (nearly at m.m. 9). 7. Park Street8. 38th Avenue North (#7 & #8 both framing the Lighthouse Shopping Center [Walmart] ). And lastly... 9. Central Avenue/1st Avenue South/Pasadena Avenue (a very long, relaxed "L" shaped bridge).

* SOUTHERN TERMINUS: The 2008 trail extension now allows riders to continue along the north side of Gibbs High School, through the industrial neighborhoods west of downtown Saint Petersburg, before passing next to both Tropicana Field (home to Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays)and Progress Energy Park, home of Al Lang Field (the Rays' Spring Training site). Between the ballfields the trail threads itself through downtown St. Petersburg via a specially allocated and protected part of 1st Avenue South.

* NORTHERN TERMINUS FALLACY: Many users of this trail turn around at the east side of the U.S. 19 tunnel, believing that this is the northern end of the trail. It is not. The trail extends southward next to U.S. 19 for a short distance before turning east, bordering the Tarpon Glen Motor Home Park. The trail turns south on North Jasmine Avenue and then east on Melon Street before terminating at Keystone Road.

* FORGOTTEN SECTION?: There is a seemingly forgotten section of the trail found along East Lake Road. With a southern terminus located at John Chesnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor it extends northward to Keystone Road in Tarpon Springs.

* PLANS FOR TOMORROW: The East Lake Road fragment is slated to be connected to the trail's northern terminus located along Keystone Road's northern side, approximately 2.5 miles west of East Lake Road. Also slated for the East Lake Road section of the Pinellas Trail is to have it extend further southward passing near the Countryside/Westfield Mall. There are two bridge construction plans in the works for crossing U.S. 19. One to be erected near the Countryside Mall and another rumored to be constructed north of Gibbs High School.

References

* [http://www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd/about.htm About the Pinellas Trail]
* [http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/12_Trail.htm Pinellas Trail Guide]
* [http://www.pinellascounty.org/MPO/planningtopics.htm Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization]
* [http://www.pinellascounty.org/volserv/rangers/trail_history.htm A Short History of the Pinellas County Trail System]

External links

* [http://www.pinellascounty.org/trailgd Official Website]
* [http://www.pinellastrails.org Pinellas Trails, Inc.]
* [http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/westcentral/trails/pinellas_trail.htm Florida Department of Environmental Protection: Greenways & Trails]
* [http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/trailNRT/Pinellas-FL.html American Trails]