Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Efforts Underway To Get South Coast Greenway Trail On The Funded Projects List In Hillsborough County

Mariella Smith is a diligent and committed environmentalist and bicyclist from south Hillsborough County trying to get a long paved trail built in south county. She's trying to get all six segments onto the MPO's long-range transportation plan for 2035.

Here's Mariella's game plan:

She wants all 6 segments of the South Coast Greenway multi-use paved trail to be on the funded projects list in the 25-year Plan (the "Cost Affordable" list in the MPO 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan).

So far, only the first 2 segments are back onto the funded projects list, but now is the time to request that the whole thing be built in the next 25 years. The MPO board must get this message from MANY of us, in order to move them to do anything about it.


Upcoming opportunities to get support:


• July 30, 11:00 - 1:00: Commissioner Kevin Beckner will be holding community office hours at the Ruskin Branch Library. I'll be out of town, but if any of you can drop by while he's in Ruskin, and ask for his support for our South Coast Greenway, that would be terrific! Kevin Beckner is on the MPO Board which will vote to adopt final changes to the MPO 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan at the Public Hearing on August 3. Print out this map to show him: http://www.box.net/shared/aitgag7ll7


• July 14 at 5:30: I'll be speaking to the MPO's Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee about this, hoping to get a favorable recommendation from them (County Center, 18th Floor)


• July 28 at 9:00 a.m: Linda Saul-Sena has put this on the MPO's Livable Roadways Advisory Committee agenda, so we can try to get them to recommend including our whole Greenway in the funded projects list. (County Center, 18th Floor)


• July 27 at 9a.m: Don Schings & I will speak to the MPO Policy Committee (County Center, 18th Floor)

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