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Old bridge to the beach becoming a promenade

Officials plan to transform part of the old bridge to Clearwater Beach as a first step toward a grander downtown waterfront.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published September 11, 2005

CLEARWATER - The old bridge to Clearwater Beach won't be ferrying cars over Clearwater Harbor anymore. But it won't be going away entirely, either.

City officials plan to transform part of the 1960s drawbridge into a 300-foot-long promenade, a lookout with views of the new Clearwater Memorial Causeway, Coachman Park and the waters north and south.

Built on the existing piers of the west end of the old bridge, the promenade will extend out into the water, and could possibly become a launching point one day for a downtown marina, city officials hope.

Half as wide as the road is now, the promenade was originally part of the 2004 referendum package to redevelop the waterfront with an expanded park, parking garage and marina. Though voters defeated proposals to build new structures on the public site, the city does not need public assent to rehab the old bridge into a pedestrian promenade, City Attorney Pam Akin said.

Crews hope to break ground on the $900,000 project next fall, and work should take about six months, said city engineer Mike Quillen. The project, which is being paid for with Penny for Pinellas dollars, is part of the city's $54.6-million pending capital improvement budget for fiscal year 2006. City Council members are expected to sign off on the final budget Thursday.

"It's a great accoutrement to a downtown park," said Marine and Aviation Director Bill Morris. "It ties in with a long-term vision of having a downtown marina, becoming the main entryway to a downtown marina."

The new promenade would be build on top of the existing bridge columns, which would have to be shaved down to create a flatter surface. The promenade would retain a gentle slope, Morris said.

People would only be able to get there on foot, and it would possibly be a launching point for ferries to the beach, Morris said.

City officials do not plan to allow fishing from the promenade. Anglers likely will be redirected to a fishing dock just north off Drew Street, Morris said, drawing some council criticism.

"The pilings themselves will attract a lot more fish around it than around the Drew Street pier," council member Hoyt Hamilton said. "For anyone who wants to fish, that's going to be a lot more appealing location. As a fisherman, that would be my preferred place to go."

If built, the promenade would be a first step toward a grander vision for the downtown waterfront.

City officials continue to ponder the future of the Harborview Center and its waterfront parking lot. They still hope to remove the asphalt from the bluff. They still say they would like to bring a marina to the downtown.

They still see the area as a potential centerpiece of a revitalized city center.

"I still have a commitment to doing something on the bayfront," said council member John Doran. "I welcome that discussion when it comes."

More people will realize redevelopment must happen as time passes, said Mayor Frank Hibbard. The council has removed $2-million from the budget earmarked for the larger redevelopment for now, but Hibbard and others said that does not translate into waning interest in the project.

"As people get accustomed to coming over the new bridge, as they see the lack of activity currently taking place, they will get committed to the idea we need to do something," Hibbard said.

Aaron Sharockman can be reached at 727 445-4160 or asharockman@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 11, 2005, 01:12:04]