The Fred Marquis Pinellas Route is a rail trail in Pinellas County, Florida, that runs beside the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to traveling through the towns of Palm Harbor, Dunedin, and Belleair, it also passes through the cities of Largo and Seminole as well as the communities of South Pasadena and Gulfport. It is used for a variety of activities such as walking, jogging, and cycling. It is possible for some trail users to use the Pinellas Trail to travel to work rather than driving their own vehicle. The main route currently covers a distance of 76 kilometers (kilometers) (47 miles)
For many years, the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) and the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) railroads served the cities of St. Petersburg, FL and Clearwater, respectively. They amalgamated in 1967 to become the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL), which combined the infrastructure that had already been in place at the time. Pinellas County lost 34 miles (55 kilometers) of trackage as the Southern California Railroad joined CSX Transportation in the 1980s, and the Florida Department of Transportation acquired that trackage. After receiving voter approval, the County purchased the land and began construction on the Pinellas Trail, which is now complete.
A portion of the trail, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km), was completed in December 1990, connecting John S. Taylor Park in Largo with Seminole City Park in Seminole, Florida. It was decided to construct further parts along the former railroad track following the passing of the first Penny for Pinellas one-cent local option sales tax. During his tenure as Pinellas County Administrator, from 1979 to 2000, Fred Marquis was honored with the establishment of the Pinellas Trail.
The Pinellas Trail is made up of the railroad segments that are listed below:
From Tarpon Springs to Clearwater, the former Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) operated.
From Clearwater to St. Petersburg, the former Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad (later known as the Seaboard Air Line Railroad) was built.
The Pinellas Trail Loop will be 75 miles (121 kilometers) in length by June 2022, when it will be completed. At the end of October 2020, the Pinellas Trail Loop (which includes the Pinellas Trail itself and linked trails) will have completed 54 miles (87 kilometers) of the 75 miles (121 kilometers) that encircles Pinellas County.
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve
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