* As of mid-March, 18 pedestrians and bicyclists have been killed in Hillsborough County in 2022.
* From 2011 to 2018, Tampa’s Riverwalk spurred more than $1 billion in economic activity, according to Vik Bhide, Tampa’s mobility department director.
While that’s a reminder of the catalytic impact of Tampa’s signature, optics-magnet Riverwalk, no less notable is the prioritizing of development on that “other side” of the Hillsborough River, the one too long defined incongruously by public housing and minarets with excellent views of what was happening on the increasingly hip, downtown side of the river. Now there are plans to create a Riverwalk sequel on the west side of the Hillsborough over the next four years. It will parallel the incumbent Riverwalk for more than two miles and then loop—in pedestrian- and bike-friendly fashion–into areas west of the river. It’s a way of connecting neighborhoods and the West River redevelopment that will ultimately include 1,600 apartments.
“This project is going to transform the west side of the city,” said Brandie Miklus, Tampa’s infrastructure and mobility program coordinator. And it can’t happen soon enough—with the expectation that the impact—in linking West Tampa to downtown and other neighborhoods—will be no less transformational than what has occurred on the other side of the river. Only this one is much more about residents than visitors.