Bayshore Boulevard

Not to be confused with the road in the San Francisco Bay Area, previously known as the Bayshore Highway.
Bayshore Boulevard

Bayshore Boulevard, famous for its balustrade, looking south
Length 4.5 mi (7.2 km)
Width 10 feet (3.0 m)
Location Hillsborough Bay, South Tampa, Florida, USA
Bayshore Boulevard with downtown Tampa in the background

Bayshore Boulevard is a waterfront road on Hillsborough Bay in South Tampa, Florida. Located south of downtown Tampa, its sidewalk, claimed to be the longest continuous sidewalk in the world at 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long, is 10 feet (3.0 m) wide and is widely used for recreation and exercise. However, the longest continuous sidewalk in the world is actually Seawall Boulevard, located in Galveston, Texas along the Galveston seawall, which is 10.3 miles (about 16.6 km) long. The 3-mile (4.8 km) bike lane, a linear park, and the Bayshore Greenway Trail provide scenic views of urban Tampa and the water.[1][2] Many large and historic homes line the road, as well as business including the Colonnade (restaurant), a historic seafood restaurant established in 1935. The Gasparilla Children's parade is held on a section of the road.

Maintenance

The road pavement needed repairs, and the City of Tampa was worried that the boulevard would make a bad impression when the city received a record amount of TV coverage in August 2012 for the Republican National Convention.[3]

The city has allocated $1.5 million to upgrade the boulevard's balustrade, and to add the landscaped median and bicycle trails, but the roadway remains bumpy and in poor condition.[4] The project has begun, causing some disruption to traffic.[5] The bike trails in particularly will make it easier for walkers and joggers, as without them walkers, joggers and bicyclers jostled each other.[6] Calming the road traffic along with the addition of space between the roadway and the trails helps those not in cars.[6] The plans for the project, begun in March 2011, call for narrowing a busy part of the road from six lanes to four.[7]

Calling the boulevard's pavement "a patchwork quilt of all different levels, colors and various grades," City Councilman Harry Cohen said, "I am frustrated that this city asset is not going to be able to put its best foot forward when the eyes of the world are upon us."[3] But Bob Buckhorn, Mayor of Tampa felt that the Bayshore projects under way would make a difference. "We will have our prom dress on, lipstick fixed, and we will be ready for the show," he said, adding, "We'll be like Cinderella at the dance."[3]

References

Historical marker
  1. ↑ "Bayshore Boulevard Linear Park". City of Tampa. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Bayshore Boulevard Greenway". City of Tampa Parks and Recreation. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Danielson, Richard (January 7, 2012). "Tampa's Bayshore Boulevard criticized as too shabby for Republican National Convention". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  4. ↑ Poltilove, Josh (January 7, 2012). "Officials bemoan bumpy Bayshore Boulevard". Tampa Bay Online. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  5. ↑ Parker, Elizabeth (September 13, 2011). "Bayshore Boulevard construction project grinds through delays". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  6. 1 2 Jeffery, Ashley (April 7, 2011). "Bike lanes coming to Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa". Bay News 9. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  7. ↑ Shopes, Rich (March 1, 2011). "Construction on Tampa's Bayshore Boulevard set to start". Tampa Bay Times.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bayshore Boulevard.

Coordinates: 27°55′44″N 82°28′38″W / 27.92889°N 82.47722°W / 27.92889; -82.47722

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