Construction underway on $60M Tampa Riverwalk expansion

Construction is underway on Tampa’s long awaited West Riverwalk expansion — a nearly $60 million effort to extend the city’s waterfront, multi-use trail along the west side of the Hillsborough River, connecting more than a dozen neighborhoods to the downtown corridor. 

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and city leaders gathered by the river Tuesday to celebrate the milestone. Construction crews are now building the support structures for two new pedestrian bridges and an overwater observation deck, drilling massive support columns deep into the riverbed to support the new structures. 

Once completed, the riverwalk will span 12.2 miles, providing a safe pedestrian pathway for people to walk, bike or run across both sides of the river and connecting downtown to neighborhoods including Hyde Park, North Hyde Park, West Tampa, Riverside Heights, Bowman Heights, Ridgewood Park, North Franklin Street and Yellow Brick Row.

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"Walking along Tampa's Riverwalk is already an experience, but new elements like the pedestrian bridges will make it even more memorable," Castor says in a release. "This is by far one of the most impactful projects Tampa has undertaken to unify communities, create job opportunities, enhance safety, support tourism and promote healthy lifestyles."

Nearly 70 drilled shafts and piles are now being installed to support three new, overwater structures: the Platt Street Pedestrian Bridge, the Brorein Street Pedestrian Bridge and the Tony Jannus Park Observation Overlook. Construction began in May, according to the release.

To ensure stability, specialized crews are drilling each support about 40 feet deep into the riverbed, with some shafts reaching nearly 50 feet deep. Each structure can support more than 130 tons, the city says — roughly the weight of 20 adult elephants. 

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As of Tuesday, the project  — dubbed the West River BUILD Project — was about 20% complete, according to a release, and officials expect the entire West River expansion to be finished by spring 2027. That includes roughly three miles of roadway safety improvements along with two miles of new Riverwalk that runs from Platt Street to Rome Avenue. 

Jacksonville-based The Haskell Company is the designer-builder for the project and has partnered with Orion Marine Construction, from Houston, on the overwater structures. Once all the shafts are in place, likely later this summer, crews will begin installing the substructure and decks, the release says. 

Construction is also underway on five of the six segments of the West River BUILD project, including roadway and sidewalk improvements along Platt Street and Rome Avenue. Soon, construction will begin on Columbus Drive, adding new sidewalks and “living shoreline” a

The nearly $60 million project is supported by a $24 million federal BUILD grant, as well as a $10 million contribution from the West Tampa Community Redevelopment Agency. The City of Tampa will invest roughly $7.5 million from the Community Investment Tax and about $16.8 million in future non-ad valorem bonds. Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, also announced $250,000 in additional federal funding for the project.