TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — A long-discussed idea to eliminate a major interruption along Tampa's Riverwalk is moving one step closer to reality.
Hillsborough County commissioners recently approved up to $200,000 in funding for preliminary engineering and design work tied to a proposed underpass beneath the Cass Street bridge. The project would allow pedestrians and cyclists to continue along the Riverwalk without having to cross a busy intersection at street level.
Watch report from Jada Williams:
Friends of the Riverwalk, the nonprofit organization that supports expansion and improvements along the Riverwalk, will receive the funding. The City of Tampa has also committed up to $200,000 in in-kind contributions toward the project.
The proposed underpass would create a pedestrian and cyclist connection beneath Cass Street, linking Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park with future expansions planned near the Straz Center and Tampa Museum of Art.
For many Riverwalk users, the proposal addresses a frustrating gap in an otherwise continuous waterfront trail.
"If they can do that, that would be amazing," said Riverwalk user Harvey Bivins.
Bivins visits the Riverwalk several times each week and said being forced to stop, cross traffic and then reconnect with the trail disrupts the experience.
"It's very weird because yes, you do have to cross this street here," Bivins said. "A lot of people do be speeding through here. They don't care about the light, they don't care about the pedestrians at all."
As a runner, Bivins said maintaining a continuous path is important.
"I don't like stopping," he said. "I like to continue going because I run a lot of miles. So I like to just continue flowing."
Safety is one of the key arguments being made in favor of the project.
County documents show there were 15 pedestrian incidents reported at Cass Street and West Tyler Street between January 2020 and December 2024. Officials also point to significant growth in the surrounding area, including 1,166 housing units and 649 hotel beds added since 2014. Riverwalk visitation surpassed 2 million visits in 2025.
Another Riverwalk user, Dajani Daniels, said separating people from vehicle traffic would be a benefit for both cyclists and pedestrians.
"If I don't have to deal with cars, on bike or on foot, I think that'll definitely be a plus for the area," Daniels said. "For the long term, I think it definitely be a plus."
According to county records, the project is intended to improve pedestrian safety, strengthen connectivity and provide easier access to attractions along the Riverwalk. Officials say it could also support future growth associated with planned expansions at the Tampa Museum of Art and the Straz Center.
In a statement, Friends of the Riverwalk thanked Hillsborough County commissioners and the City of Tampa for supporting the proposal.
"Friends of the Tampa Riverwalk is grateful to Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners and the City of Tampa for their support of the proposed Cass Street underpass. Our organization has been working to advance this project, which would provide a safer, more seamless connection for pedestrians and cyclists along the Tampa Riverwalk.
This funding is an important step toward the preliminary engineering and agency approvals needed to move the project forward. Planning is still in the early stages, and the rendering shared publicly is a preliminary concept, not a final design. We look forward to continuing our work with the city and county as the project progresses.”
The organization said the funding represents an important step toward completing preliminary engineering work and securing agency approvals necessary to move the project forward. However, it emphasized that planning remains in the early stages.
The county's action does not approve construction of the underpass itself. Instead, the funding is intended to support early-phase work including surveys, geotechnical investigations, testing and preliminary design development. Any future construction plans would require additional design, permitting and funding approvals.
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