CLEARWATER – A new segment of the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail will open Monday (June 22) with a celebration of the connection that will link Tampa to Clearwater and allow joggers, cyclists, skaters and pedestrians to safely cross from city to city and take in the breathtaking view of Old Tampa Bay.

Designed and constructed by the FDOT, the new four-mile segment links Tampa to Clearwater, where it ends at Clearwater’s Bayshore Boulevard. The new paved roadway on the south side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway will allow joggers, cyclists, skaters and pedestrians a safe path to exercise and unwind. The trail is also fully accessible to people with disabilities. Sightseers and people exercising will enjoy the picturesque scenery of Old Tampa Bay along the nearly 10-mile trail. The city of Clearwater will be responsible for operating and maintaining the new four-mile segment of the trail.

“The Courtney Campbell Causeway has been a link between Tampa and Clearwater for decades,” Cretekos said. “As the city of Clearwater celebrates its centennial in 2015, the Courtney Campbell Trail signifies not only the connectivity of our two communities, but also the importance our cities and the state place on trails for exercise and relaxation.”

The Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail is a part of a comprehensive set of trails that in the future will help connect trails to the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail and eventually provide trail access to the Gulf of Mexico. The Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail will also help make trail connections to the Pinellas Trail and the Duke Energy Trail, which will allow trail access to north and south Pinellas County.

The first phase of the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail was a 5.5-mile segment from the Veterans Expressway to the Hillsborough and Pinellas county lines. It has a 45-foot-tall bridge and paved paths that are 8- to 12-feet wide. It was designed and constructed in 2013 by the FDOT. The total cost for the completion of the entire Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail was $23 million, paid for by a combination of state and federal funds. The completion of the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail is a 20-year effort by the regional planning council and the Courtney Campbell Causeway Scenic Highway Corridor Advisory Committee.

“The Courtney Campbell Trail provides a beautiful route for bicyclists and pedestrians to safely cross Tampa Bay and enjoy our great region,” FDOT District Seven Secretary Steinman said. “The trail is a wonderful connection between the Hillsborough and Pinellas communities, and we are thrilled it is complete and open to the public.”