Director’s report: trail enforcement, Gateway Expressway traffic effects and pending state bills draw Forward Pinellas attention

Forward Pinellas used its director’s report April 9 to update the board on three topics: coordinated trail enforcement and outreach, a traffic analysis of the new Gateway Expressway and related corridors, and a legislative watchlist that includes bills the board said could affect local land‑use authority.

Trail enforcement and education: Staff summarized a coordinated February enforcement and education day on the Pinellas Trail that involved multiple law‑enforcement agencies and produced a mix of verbal warnings and enforcement actions, Forward Pinellas staff said. The board noted that enforcement often hinges on calls for service; commissioners urged residents to use non‑emergency channels to report unsafe trail behavior so law enforcement can respond and detect patterns. Staff said agencies had stepped up bike patrols and local jurisdictions provided support during the event.

Gateway Expressway and travel patterns: Staff presented a traffic‑count and model‑forecast review of the Gateway Expressway and adjacent corridors. Early findings showed some traffic decreases on parallel local streets and increases on corridors leading to the Bayside Bridge — a change staff expected as drivers adopt new toll‑road routes. Staff cautioned that travel patterns evolve over years as drivers learn routes and that the project should be monitored for multiple years to observe stable behavior.

Legislative update and local authority questions: Staff reviewed a set of pending state bills that could affect local planning and transport policy. Topics cited included Senate Bill 180 (which staff said would limit some local land‑use regulation until Oct. 1, 2027), Senate Bill 184 (related to accessory dwelling units), a transportation bill with new performance metrics and language addressing advanced air mobility and autonomous freight scooters, and an expansion proposal to the Live Local Act. Board members expressed concern that some state measures could preempt recent local ordinances (for example, those addressing short‑term rentals) and asked staff to continue to monitor and provide targeted briefings for the delegation.

School‑safety follow‑up from advisory committee: Board members endorsed a request from the School Transportation Safety Committee that Forward Pinellas ask the Pinellas County School District to participate in the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services illegal‑passing survey and requested the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office comment on camera enforcement for school‑zone speeding and illegal school‑bus passing. Staff will reach out to the district and sheriff at the committee’s request.

Why it matters: Trail safety and enforcement affect active‑transportation users countywide; Gateway Expressway use influences traffic volumes and planning for future intersection or multimodal improvements; and state legislation under consideration could change local regulatory authority and priorities.

Board directions: Staff to request segment‑level condition and traffic updates from FDOT, to approach the school district and sheriff’s office about committee requests, and to continue legislative monitoring and targeted outreach to the county’s delegation.