Replacement of a more than 100-year-old bridge restores connection to key sections of popular trail
The Rocky Creek Bridge on the Upper Tampa Bay Trail is once again open to the public following extensive repairs after inspections deemed it unstable in 2024. The new bridge replaces a more than 100-year-old bridge that connected the trail until its closure last year. The reopening, celebrated with a recent ribbon cutting, restores a vital connection on one of the County's most popular recreational trails.
Hillsborough County Public Works contractors reinforced support structures, replaced decking, and upgraded safety railings to ensure the bridge could safely reopen. The $2.2 million project was funded by the Community Investment Tax, and the design phase included funding from bonds.
The new structure includes two 63-foot spans, with an overall length of 126 feet and a reinforced concrete deck. The inside railing-to-railing width matches the proposed approach trail width of 12 feet, and it allows for emergency vehicles to utilize the bridge, if necessary. In addition, the bridge is ADA-compliant and has 48-inch-high railings for pedestrians and cyclists.
The project's impacts extend well beyond the new structure. From the Wilsky Boulevard Trailhead, the new bridge allows direct access again to the Rocky Creek Trails Nature Preserve and Peterson Road Park at the northern end of this section. Once again, cyclists, runners, and walkers have full access between parks, picnic areas, and scenic views along the Rocky Creek corridor.
The Upper Tampa Bay Trail is an 11.45-mile paved multiuse trail with two sections and multiple trailhead access points. It winds along Channel A in the south starting just north of Memorial Highway, then heads north through Town 'N Country, near Westchase, Citrus Park, Odessa, and beyond. The trail continues north from Van Dyke Road and then east to the trailhead on Lutz Lake Fern Road, connecting to the Suncoast Trail at the Veterans Expressway.
About 300,000 visitors use the Upper Tampa Bay Trail annually for activities such as walking, jogging, biking, and rollerblading. The trail also provides access to off-trail hiking opportunities at the County's Brooker Creek Headwaters and Town 'N Country Nature preserves.
