Man in reflective sunglasses and a cycling jersey takes a selfie in front of the sailboat shaped shade stop on the Howard Franklin Bridge trail — Edwin Estupinan was among the first to ride the Howard Frankland Bridge (HFB) Trail on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Edwin Estupinan

Some Tampa Bay residents were more excited than ever to commute across the Bay today.

The Howard Frankland Bridge Trail (HFB) opened on Wednesday, a long-awaited project for local cyclists and trail lovers—especially those in St. Petersburg. It runs seven miles from St. Petersburg to Tampa, connecting to the Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail to Clearwater.

With all trails connected, that’s nearly 20 miles one way with just a few stops for crossings and minimal street time.

For St. Pete cyclists who don’t want to risk riding the roads, the best long trail starting in the city has been the Pinellas Trail—which features frequent traffic stops—or Fort DeSoto, which is notoriously bumpy and about as far for some residents as Tampa or Clearwater.

The new HFB Trail ties in from the sidewalk at the south end of the 4th Street flyover, at the Big Island Gap. The closest parking is at the fishing bridge, though there are only a handful of spaces there. It can also be accessed via 4th Street from Gandy Beach or Weedon Island.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is still connecting the trails on Ulmerton Road and 4th Street North in St. Petersburg, as well as Reo Street in Tampa.

FDOT spokesperson Kristen Carson told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that the state is working on a districtwide study for parking options on the St. Pete side.

“As of this time, there is no timeline for funding,” Carson added.

A bicycle leans against the wall of the Howard Franklin Bridge Trail with a sailboat-shaped shade and sunny, cloudy skies in the background. — Edwin Estupinan was among the first to ride the Howard Frankland Bridge (HFB) Trail on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Edwin Estupinan

What it’s like

Cyclists were out collecting the trail’s first Strava crowns on Wednesday morning.

The trade-ins they reported for cars and intersections: wind and noise.

Alan Winfield and Edwin Estupinan both told CL they hit the HFB after riding the Courtney Campbell to avoid strong headwinds, but still fought the gusts more common on bridges.

“Because the wind was so strong, I turned around because I didn’t want to contend with seven more miles of it. We’re in a pattern right now with the east-southeast wind,” Winfield, a meteorologist, noted.

Estupinan also noticed the highway noise from commuters on the Howard Frankland, which is also getting new express lanes this week. Wednesday’s car noise was louder than other near-highway trails like the Courtney Campbell and Suncoast, he said.

“That’s the ony thing I noticed I didn’t like,” he told CL. “This one is definitely louder.”

Both riders also noted a rough transition with construction on Reo Street, and a lack of signage directing to further trails on the St. Pete side.

Still, they both plan to ride the HFB regularly.

“Good cyclists complain no matter what,” Winfield said.

“It’s a beautiful trail,” Estupinan added. “It’s wide, with viewpoints and places to sit…pelicans flying around…I definitely enjoyed that trail today.”

HFB is the latest milestone in a planned 420-mile Florida Gulf Coast Trail, which will eventually link seven counties from Pinellas to Collier.

“People are chomping at the bit for more trails,” Winfield said. “These trails really add a quality of life to Tampa Bay. I hope we don’t take them for granted. …It’s walkers and cyclists and skaters. It’s just good for everybody.”

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