The City of St. Petersburg has been granted $1,387,038 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Reconnecting the Historic Gas Plant District Project. This initiative is set to address the consequences of I-175’s construction in the late 1970s, which displaced numerous families from historic African American neighborhoods, including the Gas Plant District. The project focuses on improving access, safety, and connectivity for South St. Petersburg.
“Reconnecting South St. Pete neighborhoods and businesses to the Downtown corridor is critical to addressing transportation projects that negatively impacted hundreds of families living in the Historic Gas Plant District and adjacent neighborhoods,” stated St. Pete Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. He expressed gratitude towards Congresswoman Castor and Senator Rubio for their support in advancing infrastructure, equitable development, and neighborhood health and safety priorities.
U.S. Representative Kathy Castor emphasized that “South St. Pete deserves to enjoy economic opportunity and growth as we repair neighborhoods divided by highways decades ago.” She highlighted that the ‘Reconnecting Communities’ initiative aims to revitalize South St. Pete by reconnecting neighborhoods and fostering a vibrant community.
This project builds upon findings from the 2022 Downtown St. Petersburg Mobility Study conducted with Forward Pinellas. Funding will be directed towards converting 8th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Street into two-way roads with lane reallocations to enhance mobility and address environmental and economic challenges faced by nearby areas.
Key activities of this project include developing a community engagement plan, planning engineering designs for improved pedestrian facilities, creative place-making opportunities, green infrastructure implementation, and conducting an equity assessment to ensure fair distribution of benefits across communities.
The Reconnecting the Historic Gas Plant District Project represents a significant effort toward overcoming historical barriers while enhancing transportation equity in South St. Petersburg through improved connectivity and community involvement.
For further details about this redevelopment project or information on related programs like U.S Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program visit their respective websites at www.stpete.org/GasPlant or https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting.
