These two projects will help to extend Gertrude’s walk to the south and further the completion of our Downtown beltway by closing the current trail gap in our North Quarter area from the Colonial Overpass to our existing Dinky Line Trail at Magnolia.
Colonial Drive Overpass for Bikes and Pedestrians
The City will give $810,647.05 in Florida Department of Transportation funds to Vanassee Hangen Brustlin, Inc.(225 E. Robinson St, Suite 300) for engineering services towards the completion of two missing pieces within the Central Business District portion of the Orlando Bicycle Beltway. The missing pieces are shown on the map below and written out as follows:
From the Colonial Drive Overpass to the existing Dinky Line Trail. This will put The North Quarter of Downtown Orlando onto the trail.
Along Division Avenue between Michigan Street and Anderson Street. This will be called the Downtown Connector Trail. This is the southern section of the beltway which will start at the existing Lake Underhill Path and travel west along Anderson Street to Rosalind Avenue, nearly two miles. It will be a minimum of ten feet wide. This segment of trail will better connect the Lake Como, Lake Davis, and Lake Cherokee neighborhoods with a safe and convenient alternative transportation option to access the Central Business District.
These two projects will help to extend Gertrude’s walk to the south and further the completion of our Downtown beltway.
The Orlando Bicycle Beltway is one of 10 neighborhood infrastructure improvements coming to Orlando. It's an 8.25 mile loop that will circle through the Central Business District all the way to Fashion Square/Colonial area and back once completed. It will ultimately connect Downtown to the region’s trail system. This beltway will utilize the existing Orlando Urban Trail, Cady Way Trail, and Lake Underhill Path.
Both gaps exist within the downtown Central Business District, one of 3 major network areas the trail contains. Those 3 networks are southeast, southwest, and northeast. Both will be fixed soon thanks to a new Florida Department of Transportation Local Agency Program Grant.
The City's bicycle system currently consists of over forty (40) miles of trails, located on three major network areas: (1) southeast, (2) southwest, and (3) northeast. Of those three network areas there has been a focus by the City on completing the trail located in the Central Business District.
The beltway will connect to and use existing trails, such as the Cady Way and Orlando Urban Trail. It's a part of the 40-mile network of urban bike trails within the City of Orlando.
There has been a focus on completing the beltway due to the addition of the bike share program, increased residential density, burgeoning sports and entertainment complexes, and new and expanding bus and rail transit options.
The city is currently a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community, based on the League of American Bicyclists` 5 Es for a Bicycle Friendly Community.
Urban Bike Trail Maps:
Northeast Trail map (PDF) – Cady Way Trail; Orlando Urban Trail
Southeast Trail map (PDF) – Orlando Southeast Trail
Southwest Trail map (PDF) – Shingle Creek Trail
Future Plans for Urban Bike Trail:
Related Cycling Stories: