Greenway could link downtown to Water Street Tampa

Don’t be surprised if Tampa eventually develops a bike- and pedestrian-friendly greenway trail linking the $3 billion Water Street Tampa neighborhood to downtown.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told a crowd of more than 500 gathered for an Urban Land Institute Emerging Trends conference late last month that the city was “negotiating” with Water Street developer Strategic Property Partners (SPP) to develop the greenway to alleviate vehicular transportation.

“We’re hoping to leverage the existing greenway trail there,” says Vik Bhide, the city’s newly appointed director of transportation, stormwater management and mobility. “It’s still conceptual at this point, but there’s a strong desire for it.”

Bhide says if the greenway comes to fruition, it would be part of SPP’s second Water Street Tampa phase, slated for completion in 2026. Officials from SPP did not respond to a request for comment.

“The more we can get people to walk and bike in a dedicated place, the safer the area will be,” Bhide says. “We’re only in the planning stage now, but it’s a high priority.”