The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 will host a community meeting Thursday evening to begin its Project Development and Environmental Study for a major upgrade to the Courtney Campbell Causeway, connecting Clearwater and Tampa.

The project is still in its early planning phase, but potential improvements include widening the roadway and adding environmental buffers between the highway and the bay.

According to FDOT District 7 Environmental Engineer Kirk Bogen, one of the first priorities will be evaluating the causeway’s main bridge spans. “We’re probably going to look at the main span bridges first to determine whether they need replacement or expansion,” Bogen said.

FDOT says the overall goal is to ease traffic congestion while strengthening the roadway against major storms.

Environmental groups, however, want the project to prioritize water quality and flow beneath the causeway. Justin Trimble with Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a nonprofit focused on protecting the bay, said his organization will attend the meeting to advocate for environmental benefits. “We believe this is a great opportunity to help Tampa Bay,” Trimble said. “Any infrastructure investment should support the estuary, not harm it.”

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the DoubleTree Hilton on Rocky Point.

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(Image credit: Florida Scenic Highways)

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