Lakeland plans to convert the sidewalks on five blocks of Ingraham Avenue north of Florida Southern College to a multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail.
City commissioners unanimously approved a resolution Monday to apply for state funding to create a trail path along the west side of the road from Frank Lloyd Wright Way to Bartow Road.
Transportation Planner Chuck Barmby called the section an “unfunded gap” in regional efforts to link the Fort Fraser Trail with the Tenoroc Trail. But he added that the state Legislature recently allocated “substantial dollars” to the statewide Shared-Use Non-motorized Trail (SUNTrail) network.
“Overall, it looks very feasible. … Everything will fit within the right of way … The historic lighting may need to be adjusted but it can remain on that side of the street,” Barmby said. “We’ve spoken with the college. They’re on board for what it would provide for their students to get to and from campus.”
Florida Southern College has a shuttle service near the proposed trail. The trail segment would intersect with Citrus Connection stops at Bartow Road and East Palmetto Street, making it convenient for pedestrians and cyclists to use public transit.
“The city would probably be expected to provide a match for design and maybe some of the construction,” Barmby said. But if all goes well, he said work could begin within two to three years.