Council endorses $55 million Trails Crossing vision

A rendering shows proposed trails, bike parking, public art and gathering spaces beneath I-275 as part of the Trails Crossing master plan. Image: City of St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg City Council has unanimously accepted a $55 million master plan to transform approximately 12 acres beneath Interstate 275 into a network of parks, trails and public gathering spaces, advancing a project that could reshape connections between downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. The vote establishes a framework for Trails Crossing, a proposed cultural corridor centered on the Pinellas Trail. “We are not asking the City to fund construction,” John Barkett, co-founder and president of Friends of Trails Crossing , said. “Council’s acceptance of the Master Plan approves a framework for moving forward, not a City construction expenditure.” The distinction is significant for a project that could take a decade or longer to complete. Friends of Trails Crossing, a nonprofit established in 2022, intends to pursue federal and state grants, private philanthropy, corporate sponsorships and programming revenue to finance development in phases. No construction start date has been established, and the organization has yet to assemble the funding needed to begin implementation. The project envisions replacing underused parking areas and vacant land beneath I-275 with pedestrian and bicycle pathways, playgrounds, public art, performance spaces, outdoor markets and green infrastructure. The corridor would extend from Fifth Avenue S. to Burlington Avenue N., with potential expansion farther north. The proposed improvements would strengthen connections among the Grand Central District, EDGE District, Warehouse Arts District, Deuces Live corridor and Historic Gas Plant District. The previously reported master plan also draws on historic maps showing homes and buildings along 18th Street before interstate construction altered the neighborhood. Designers incorporated elements of those former building footprints into proposed gathering spaces and landscaping. Barkett said the initial emphasis will be on activating and beautifying the Pinellas Trail corridor. Early improvements could include better lighting, safer pedestrian and bicycle connections, wayfinding, public art and spaces for community programming and small businesses. “The sequence will reflect community input, available funding, permitting readiness, maintenance needs, and coordination with larger infrastructure work, including drainage and green infrastructure,” Barkett said. Smaller improvements and temporary activities could begin before the more expensive construction phases, although those efforts also require funding and approvals. The nonprofit has demonstrated some fundraising capacity during the planning process. It initially raised $30,000 for conceptual renderings and an animated presentation, then contributed $150,000 to match the City’s $150,000 investment in the master planning process. The combined $300,000 funded planning work by LandDesign, with governance guidance from Agora Partners. Friends of Trails Crossing also partnered with the City on a successful $1.38 million federal Reconnecting Communities planning grant. That money supports traffic studies necessary to evaluate converting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street South and 8th Street South from paired one-way corridors to two-way traffic. Barkett sees that partnership as a potential model for future funding applications, particularly grants requiring a municipality to serve as the lead applicant. The project faces additional complications because the Florida Department of Transportation owns the property beneath the interstate. Existing agreements governing the City’s use of the land would need to be modified before construction could proceed. The plans must also accommodate existing uses, including parking associated with Vertical Ventures, a climbing gym near the trail. City officials have previously discussed preserving some parking during early construction phases. Long-term operations present another financial responsibility. Friends of Trails Crossing expects to serve as the nonprofit steward, coordinating programming, sponsorships, fundraising and maintenance partnerships. Formal agreements would establish responsibilities among the organization, the City and other participants. “FTC’s stewardship obligations must be supported by the funding and partnerships needed to fulfill them,” Barkett said. That arrangement will require dependable operating revenue and agreements defining who maintains public spaces, manages activities and pays for ongoing services. Those details remain to be negotiated. The project will receive additional attention during the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation Summit in St. Petersburg Nov. 9 and 10. Barkett is scheduled to participate in a Nov. 10 discussion about repurposing spaces beneath interstate highways, alongside representatives discussing projects in Orlando and Jacksonville. For now, Council’s approval gives Trails Crossing an accepted plan that can support fundraising, agency negotiations and detailed design. The next measure of progress will be whether the nonprofit can secure funding for its first improvements and establish agreements to maintain them. 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