The Complete Streets campaign aims to make roads safer for cyclists around the Burg. The introduction of Coast Bike Share to the St. Pete community showcased just how much individuals wants to explore the city outside of an automobile.

In a recent report from Bike Walk Tampa Bay, city leaders opted to move ahead with the resurfacing and redesign of MLK, Jr. Street.

So, what’s the plan?

Full resurfacing and redesign to increase bicycle volume

The plan will include resurfacing work from 4th to 34th Avenues North, add bike lanes from 4th to 30th Avenues North, and add five enhanced pedestrian crosswalks. In order to accommodate bike lanes, one of five motor vehicle lanes will be repurposed.

The Complete Streets resolution was first adopted in 2015. Since that time, city officials have worked with small businesses and residents to ensure the project would serve to enhance the cyclist and pedestrian experience of St. Pete without tremendously impacting local traffic.

Road diets have already been instituted across the Burg. Changes include lane narrowing, the and removal of unnecessary turn lanes to make room for bike paths.

Bike lanes provide economic boost

Across the United States, these improvements have proven vital to enhancing public safety. In Santa Montica, California, a reconfigured roadway project on Ocean Avenue reduced crashes by 65% and injury crashes fell by 60% over a 9-month period.

A similar project in San Fancisco saw small business sales jump 40% over a 4-year period with a bicycle volume increase of 140%, according to a study by sfbike.org.

You can learn more about Complete Streets on the city’s website. You can also view a comprehensive overview of the project and the research that went into it here.

The city has also created a map highlighting all of the proposed reconfigurations throughout the Burg.

Would you like to see more road redesigns in St. Pete?