St. Petersburg’s Bike Infrastructure Efforts Pay Off

New bike infrastructure is encouraging more people to take to the streets on two wheels, but advocates say safety challenges remain.

1 minute read

February 16, 2025, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction

Two-way protected bike lane on wide street in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida with high-riise buildings in background.

S bike lane in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. | Felix Mizioznikov / Adobe Stock

In a piece for The Crow’s Nest, Alisha Durosier describes St. Petersburg, Florida’s burgeoning bike scene, which has only been growing since the city implemented its first Complete Streets plan in 2015. “As Vanessa Wheeler, a pedestrian and bicycle specialist for the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR), puts it, the shift in how people think about getting from point A to point B parallels St. Petersburg’s evolving infrastructure.”

Thanks in large part to the work of bike advocates in the city, St. Petersburg has added more bike infrastructure and focused on connecting trails to major destinations. “On top of the Pinellas Trail, which to bicyclists is the “artery” of the city, St. Petersburg has implemented policy and infrastructure in recent years to further accommodate riders.”

However, the city remains dangerous to bicyclists, with 801 bike crashes reported in 2024. Pinellas County ranked as the “most dangerous place to bicycle in America” in 2018, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We still got a long way to go,” said Brian Peret, a ride leader for the bike group St. Pete Critical Mass.

FULL STORY: The future on two wheels: A comprehensive look at the St. Petersburg bike scene

Monday, February 10, 2025 in The Crow's Nest

Infrastructure Transportation Florida St. Petersburg Bikes Bike Infrastructure Complete Streets Biking Cycling Bike Safety View More

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