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Safer span over busy road opens to East-West Trail users

The McMullen-Booth Road overpass connects the trail to Del Oro Park, bypassing the Drew Street intersection.

By CHRISTINA K. COSDON
Published September 19, 2005

CLEARWATER - Tranquility comes just yards from the cacophony of traffic on McMullen-Booth Road.

As eastbound bikers, walkers and joggers on Clearwater's East-West Trail cross the new overpass 17 feet above McMullen-Booth Road, they descend into Del Oro Park.

Here, a surprisingly serene area of trails and pathways wind around and alongside manicured grassy knolls, tall pines, gnarled oak trees draped with Spanish moss and wild thickets of ferns, vines and palmettos.

Squirrels race across the grass and up trees, dropping pine cones eaten to the core like corn cobs. Seeds for birds are scattered like pebbles on a small bridge.

As evening approaches, an occasional biker speeds silently along the trail and people walk their dogs. The city provides pooper scooper bags, but there are signs that some folks don't bother to use them. Leashed dogs are welcome along the trail, said Felicia Leonard, who oversees the city's bicycle and pedestrian program, but there is a city ordinance requiring owners to pick up after them.

The new $2.55-million overpass, which opened to the public Sept. 10, is attracting more trail users to Del Oro Park.

Before it was built, trail users had to cross the six-lane highway at the intersection of Drew Street and McMullen-Booth Road. Long ramps connect to the overpass, which spans 133 feet over the highway, giving trail users a safe passage between the park and the huge Eddie C. Moore recreation complex.

The completion of the overpass will be celebrated Thursday with a ceremony at Del Oro Park, followed by a 1.8-K fun run led by Dr. Pit Gills of Ironman Triathlon fame. The run begins at the park, crosses the overpass and ends at recreation complex, where refreshments, giveaways and T-shirts will be available. The festivities start at 5:30 p.m. and run participants can register at the park.

Currently, the East-West Trail extends from Del Oro Park to the Long Center on Belcher Road and includes a section from Bayshore Drive north to the city of Safety Harbor. The city has plans for the trail to eventually reach all the way to Clearwater Beach and connect to a network of other trails - the popular Pinellas Trail, the east-west Druid Road Trail and the north-south Progress Energy Trail. Construction on the Druid Road and Progress Energy trails is expected to start next year.

[Last modified September 19, 2005, 01:08:18]