Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Pinellas Commissioners Vote Against Applying For Federal Grant To Fix TrailBridge


It was disappointing Tuesday that the Pinellas County Commission voted against applying for federal TIGER transportation grant money of $20 million to fix and re-open the Friendship TrailBridge, which has been closed since November.

We can spend $10 million on a highway exit like the one one off Veterans Highway but Pinellas won't even apply for a grant that would re-open the Trail, used by 600,000 users a year.

Hillsborugh County Commissioners voted 5-2 to apply for the grant, and it's a sad day in August when Pinellas is more unenlightened than Hillsborough.

If Hillsborough voted 5-2 to apply for the grant, I thought Pinellas could follow suit. SWFBUD is now considering giving the Pinellas County Commissioners the dreaded "Smelly Glove Award" for actions against the interests of bicyclists. Pinellas' commissioners have a track record of voting against its residents' wishes. Several hundred residents attended public forums last month imploring public officials to fix and re-open the TrailBridge.

1 comment:

GhostRider said...

Well, crap. I guess this means the bridge is "dead in the water", both literally and figuratively.

I'm surpised by Pinellas's decision. And unanimous, too...very shocking.