Four Tampa Streets Receiving Bicycle and Pedestrian-Friendly Makeovers

City officials released some good news for walkers or bikers who trek in or around downtown Tampa.

Four downtown-area streets will receive pedestrian and cyclist-friendly makeovers that entail new sidewalks and bike lanes or shared use pathways, according to a news release by the City of Tampa.

The announcement, made this week by Mayor Bob Buckhorn, includes the following streets: Palm Avenue, Willow avenue, Bougainvillea Avenue and Cypress Street.

"Projects like this are part of our strategy to make Tampa more pedestrian and cyclist friendly. These improvements will make these streets safer for everyone, and provide both residents and visitors more options to get around," said Mayor Bob Buckhorn in the news release. "This is just the beginning of how we will reshape our center city." 

The projects are in the design phase, but costs are estimated to total $400,000, the news release said. The City of Tampa will be reimbursed by the Florida Department of Transportation for the design costs, the news release said.

Buckhorn also recently announced that new bike lanes will also be installed along parts of Doyle Carlton Drive, Palm Avenue, and Laurel Street as well as additional downtown on-street parking spaces. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2013. 

What do you think of the changes? Tell us in the comments.