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Reimagining Grand Blvd – North to Port Richey

Posted on November 16, 2021 Written by Rob Marlowe

Mayor Rob MarloweReimagining Grand from Sims Park to the Port Richey waterfront has been a daunting proposition, but things appear to be falling into place to improve the connectivity between the two cities.  There are several challenges that need to be addressed:

Coming up with a multi-use path that can connect New Port Richey and Port Richey is complicated by two issues.

  1. Getting safely across US 19.  There have been on again / off again discussions about running a pedestrian & bicycle route under the north end of the US 19 bridge to connect the waterfront and the rest of Port Richey together.  This proposal continues to incubate.
  2. Arriving at a route from Port Richey to downtown New Port Richey.  The most obvious route would be down Grand Blvd.  This is complicated because of the lack of any spare right of way along this route.  One suggestion would be to eliminate the southbound traffic lane and use that space for a multi-use trail.  While this would provide the space for a trail, it would complicate life for those living along Grand Blvd.

Clearly, a lot more discussion needs to be had regarding both of these issues.  There may be some alternate routes, eg. along Washington Street, that may be easier to complete.

A second challenge is to make it possible for folks with golf carts in each city to travel back and forth between the two cities.  In basic terms, all this would require is for the two cities to reach an agreement to allow this.   New Port Richey is ready to do this and all we need is for the Port Richey council to tell their staff to make it happen.  The biggest issue is safety and we’d need to agree on a safe route or routes between the two cities.

One complication is that golf carts are not allowed to cross US 19 at grade level.  Routing golf carts under the bridge with pedestrians and bicycles is certainly possible, but would make that project much more expensive.  A better solution, one that I mentioned last week at the joint New Port Richey, Port Richey, and Pasco County workshop, would be for all three jurisdictions to approach the Florida Department of Transportation to allow golf carts to cross US 19 at Grand Blvd. (And also at Marine Parkway and Main Street.)  Golf carts are crossing now, so it is more a matter of having FDOT recognize reality rather than actually changing things.  If FDOT remains intransigent, this may require legislative action.

Finally, and probably the easiest issue to solve is coming up with a micro-mobility solution to link the Port Richey Waterfront District with Downtown New Port Richey.  Port Richey learned that we are planning a new downtown shuttle, due to start operating later this month, and expressed an interest in exploring how the two cities might do something similar to link the two business districts.  In my opinion, this is very doable and the county commissioners expressed an interest in looking at this as well, in conjunction with their broader micro-mobility plans for West Pasco.

Rob Marlowe, Mayor

Filed Under: Local Commentary

Comments

  1. Kenneth L Houghtaling says

    November 16, 2021 at 8:22 pm

    Whatever is NPR going to do when your term ends. Ken Houghtaling

    • Ali says

      November 17, 2021 at 12:02 am

      The show must go on with you or without you. jus sayin!!!

    • Rob Marlowe says

      November 17, 2021 at 6:44 am

      Someone else will step up and take my place. The improvements during my term as mayor have been a group effort and I expect the next mayor will continue to lead the city toward a brighter future.

  2. Harriet Mathews says

    November 16, 2021 at 9:58 pm

    Pinellas net make 19 interstate quality by making overpasses at major intersection, Hwy 60 etc..
    The West Coast needs an equivalent to I95. Start with Embassy in front of Gulfview mall?

    • Rob Marlowe says

      November 17, 2021 at 6:49 am

      With all due respect, not only no, but “Hell No!”… The overpasses along US 19 in Pinellas County destroyed scores of businesses. We should learn from their mistake, not repeat it.

      We already have the equivalent of I-95 running through the county. It is called I-75. The East Coast has US 1 and US A1A that carry a lot of local traffic along the coast. They are the better comparable to US 19.

      • Linda Connolly says

        November 17, 2021 at 7:59 pm

        Excellent response Mayor!

  3. Raymond Debri says

    November 17, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    I agree with the need for overpasses at every intersection it is so needed.
    There are plenty of business doing fine in Pinellas county. If you have a good business it will survive construction.
    Remember the environmental impact on emissions from idling for several minutes at every damn traffic light.
    Hello climate change is real…

    • Rob Marlowe says

      November 18, 2021 at 5:36 am

      There would be a dozen or more businesses bulldozed at Main and 19 alone. Perhaps a better solution is to fix the lights, bring more good paying jobs to West Pasco so people don’t have to commute to Pinellas County, and switch to cars that don’t idle and spew emissions at every traffic light.

  4. Kathy says

    November 17, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    I live on Grand along the River and I would welcome the Multi-use trail! I walk and ride my bike down that road all the time and it is extremely dangerous . There is so much speeding, this would help eliminate some of that. Also there are plenty of other roads to utilize to come and go to my home. It would be wonderful to be able to bike ride without worrying about getting killed

    • Rob Marlowe says

      November 18, 2021 at 5:37 am

      If your neighbors agree, this could happen.

  5. gerri kostinko says

    November 17, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    Those of us “olders” need the parking structure to be open and operating at all hours of all downtown activities. And a shuttle service constantly. We can’t walk the whole downtown area although we would love to explore it all. Until that happens we will be staying home in unincorporated NPR and not going downtown

    • Rob Marlowe says

      November 18, 2021 at 5:39 am

      I agree about the parking garage hours. With any luck, the shuttle will be properly inspected, licensed, and operating before the Christmas stuff starts in a couple of weeks.

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