HCP Associates Participates in Channelside Drive Design Project
TAMPA, Fla. (May 24, 2018) HCP’s Research Coordinator Madelin Ghomshe attended the first community meeting for the Channelside Drive Project. The meeting’s purpose was to engage the public and give people in the community a chance to suggest and weigh in on Channelside Drive improvements.
Since 1975, the area has flourished from an industrial part of Tampa; in 1998 Channelside started to redevelop with commercial and residential uses and saw the addition of a cruise port. To better serve this growing urban neighborhood, Channelside Drive needs to better accommodate the increase in population and address users’ needs. Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) is the engineering consultant working with the city to help create a conceptual design looking to launch into November. There will be another opportunity to provide input at a second community to be scheduled in the winter of 2018 and the final design should be presented for approval in Spring/Summer of 2019.
The project footprint extends from the south roundabout at Cumberland Avenue to north of Kennedy Boulevard. There was public interest in extending the geography to include Ybor; however, the current study area is limited to the Channel District.
Channel District’s Community Redevelopment Area Manager, Rob Rosner, welcomed the group and gave an introduction of the purpose of the meeting. There was then a presentation that touched on the history of the area and explained the project’s objectives. A group brainstorming activity split the crowd into thirds and each group was provided a map of the Channel District Community Redevelopment Area.
The groups were instructed to mark the map with a red dot for problems, and a blue dot for opportunities. Participants then used sticky notes to explain their markings.
Each group presented their findings and common topics included reducing traffic speed; providing safe, continuous, and better-landscaped sidewalks; adding a bike lane; making crosswalks more user friendly and safe; and providing shaded areas for walking. Public comments are welcomed and will be accepted through June 30, 2018.
“The activity was a great experience, bringing together those new to the area as well as those here for some time,” Ghomshe said. “I believe the collective community input was very valuable to the project.”
For more information about the Channelside Drive Project please visit: https://www.tampagov.net/economic-and-urban-development/channelsidedrive.
For more information about the Community Workshop please visit: http://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2018/05/22/channelside-drive-improvements-workshop.
