Gasparilla Childrens' Bike Rodeo Needs Volunteers Saturday

It's time again for the Gasparilla Childrens' Bike Rodeo Saturday and they need volunteers along Bayshore, between Albany & Nance (near Rome Ave.)

The Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Rodeo, presented by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee of Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, is a chance for you to help teach the children of Tampa Bay the important bicycle/pedestrian safety skills they need to know in order to be safe biking and walking members of our community!

If you volunteer you'll either be helping with passing out and fitting helmets, or leading kids through one of the stations in the safety obstacle course!

This event is free to all children, and each child participating in the safety course will first receive a free bicycle helmet to keep (until they run out)!

Volunteers should arrive between 9:30 - 10am for training and to help set up. The actual event is from 11am-2pm. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for USF volunteers!

SWFBUD Welcomes A New Sight On Bayshore Blvd: A Bike Lane!

Great to see the city of Tampa install bike lanes on Bayshore Blvd. starting from Platt Street.





The bike lanes run from Platt Street to Rome Avenue. How more bike lanes extended from Rome Ave. to Gandy?

SWFBUD Likes City of Tampa Agreeing To Maintain U-Path Trail Near Airport

One of the unheralded paved trails in Tampa Bay is the U-path that allows bicyclists from points north of State Road 60 to circumvent Tampa International Airport on its west side to reach locations south of the airport. It was nice to hear Karla Price of the city of Tampa tell us members of the Tampa-Hillsborough Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee this week that the city of Tampa has worked out a deal with the Tampa International Airport for the city to maintain the trail.

It's an essential link that allows bicyclists to bike south on George Street to a city park where the trail starts and heads to State Road 60/Causeway and continues south of SR 60 past the Hyatt, around the airport and to Cypress Avenue. Make a left on Cypress and you can head to downtown Tampa and other Tampa locations.

I use it all the time when I cross the Courtney Campbell Causeway from Clearwater to Tampa and pick it up off SR 60 starting at the Hyatt.

Here's an overhead map of the U-Path.


You might recall that I also took photos of roseate spoonbills hanging out in a watery hideaway between the U-path trail and the Hyatt.


You also get a pretty good view of landing jets when biking the U-path.

Sprinkle Consulting To Start Study Next Month of Tampa Bypass Canal Trail Crossings

BAM Network Update -- I learned tonight that Sprinkle Consulting will start next month on a six-month consulting job for the Hillsborough MPO on the Tampa Bypass Canal Trail crossings.

SWFBUD is pushing for the BAM Network -- a regional three-trail system of the Tampa Bypass Canal Trail, the South Coast Greenway and the Selmon Expressway Greenway.

The Tampa Bypass Canal Trail is a 17-mile trail from New Tampa along the Bypass Canal Trail to State Road 60. It's grass now. But we want the trail paved to allow more bicyclists to use it.

SWFBUD Swap Meet -- Feb 19, 11 am to 3 pm at Taco Bus St. Petersburg

SWFBUD is proud to announce its inaugural SWFBUD Swap Meet at the Taco Bus parking lot on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on Feb 19 from 11 am to 3 pm. We will also have live music while you shop for cool bike gear and parts at the Taco Bus in St. Pete.

SWFBUD Says Bicycles and Buses Can Work Together

SWFBUD participated in a HART video explaining the great connection between bicycles and buses.

Tampa's city TV station -- CTTV -- aired it as part of "Spotlight Tampa" this month, says bicyclist/CTTV cameraman Brian Sullivan.

SWBUD Agrees: Cities Are Happier When They Embrace Bike-commuting

Another great benefit of why cities should embrace and encourage bicycle commuting.