West Riverwalk project to break ground in 2023

The City of Tampa plans to break ground next year on a project that will double the size of the existing six-mile Riverwalk by connecting neighborhoods to the west of downtown and paving a new walkway down the western bank of the Hillsborough River.

• Once complete in 2026, what's being called West Riverwalk will total 12.2 miles.

Driving the news: The city announced it was looking for a contractor for the project, which will be funded in part by a $24 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

• Estimated total: $30 million.

Why it matters: The existing Riverwalk, completed in the last five years, has completely changed how visitors experience downtown Tampa.

• The addition will stitch together disconnected neighborhoods north of I-275 and west of the river.

What's next: The new multi-modal path will run along the river behind Tony Jannus Park, H.B. Plant Park, the University of Tampa, Tampa Preparatory School, Howard W. Blake High School, Stewart Middle School and Dr. Martin Luther King Recreation Center.

• New pedestrian underpasses at Platt Street, Brorein Street and Kennedy Boulevard will be similar to the existing pedestrian underpasses along the east-side Riverwalk.

• Safety improvements to Rome Avenue between Platt Street and Columbus will boost connectivity for bicyclists and pedestrians around the University of Tampa and West Bank neighborhoods.

What they're saying: "Tampa's Riverwalk in just a few years has become such a signature part of the community, it's hard to imagine Tampa without it," Mayor Jane Castor told the Tampa Bay Times.

• "The project on the west side will be even more transformative, an essential link connecting West Tampa to downtown and other neighborhoods from Hyde Park to Ybor City."