The City of Orlando continues filling the gaps in its trail network. At the July 20 City Council meeting, Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando City Council approved funding from a Federal Highway Administration grant that will be used toward two trail segments as part of the Orlando Urban Trail Gap and Extension Project.
One segment is on Orange Avenue and Weber Street in the North Quarter, where there is no connection between the Colonial Overpass Bridge and the existing off-street trail at Magnolia Avenue. The second segment will link south downtown and the central business district by a trail along S. Division Avenue and near Columbia Street. These two segments will help complete a bicycle loop around the urban and downtown core of Orlando and connect into Orlando’s bicycle network.
Orlando’s bicycle network currently consists of over 45 miles of off-street trails, 50-plus miles of signed routes and 265 miles of bicycle lanes.
From the City of Orlando’s website describing the project:
“The Orlando Urban Trail Gap Project will complete a 0.3-mile segment from the Colonial Drive Overpass to the southern end of the Orlando Urban Trail at Magnolia Avenue and Weber Street. The project will be located on the west side of Orange Avenue and north side of Weber Street, and will include the installation of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Weber Street and Magnolia Avenue.
This gap is a critical connection between Gertrude’s Walk and the Dinky Line portion of the Orlando Urban Trail, which combined average over 30,000 trips per month. This project will better connect Mills 50, Ivanhoe Village and the North Quarter with Downtown Orlando and include a direct connection to LYNX Central Station and SunRail.
As part of this project the city will also be constructing a southern extension to the Orlando Urban Trail. The 10-foot wide multi-use trail will start just south of Gore Street on the east side of Division Avenue, extending south to Michigan Street, and include a trail spur on the south side of Columbia Street from Division Avenue to Sligh Boulevard. This project will provide additional connectivity to the Orlando Health / Amtrak SunRail Station and SODO District.”
Kudos to the City of Orlando and Mayor Dyer for continuing to show their commitment to bicycle trails as an important asset for commuters and recreational riders who enjoy a convenient and easy way to get around the city.
