After years of complaints and a string of serious crashes, cyclists on Pasco County's Suncoast Trail are finally getting what they have been asking for: two new pedestrian-and-bicycle bridges at State Road 52 and State Road 54. The overpasses are now under construction, promising safer crossings for weekend riders and bike commuters, even as some trail access points temporarily shut down while crews get the work done.
What FDOT Is Building And When
The Florida Department of Transportation is putting in elevated crossings to carry the Suncoast Trail over SR 52 and SR 54, replacing the current nerve-racking mix of trail users and fast-moving highway traffic.
According to FDOT Tampa Bay, construction on the SR 54 overpass began June 22 and includes reconstruction of portions of the trail itself. A separate factsheet from FDOT Tampa Bay notes that the SR 52 project kicked off January 4, 2026 with a $9.9 million price tag.
FDOT lists Cone & Graham, Inc. as the contractor for both bridges and pegs early-to-mid 2027 as the target window for completion. Short detours along with temporary lane or ramp restrictions are planned while overhead work is underway.
Why Cyclists Say The Bridges Matter
Riders and safety advocates have long viewed the SR 52 and SR 54 crossings as accidents waiting to happen. They say the overpasses are not a luxury project but a basic fix on a trail that slices across some of Pasco's busiest corridors.
As reported by Tampa Bay 28, cyclists point to serious crashes at the SR 54 crossing, including a 2013 collision that left a rider with multiple fractures, as proof that the status quo was not working. Officials and trail planners told Spectrum Bay News 9 that the bridges are part of a broader effort to keep the Suncoast Trail safe and usable as development closes in along the suburban highway corridors.
Closures And Detours For Riders
The construction does come with some short-term headaches. Pasco County and FDOT have already closed the Suncoast Trail trailhead at the end of Touchpoint Drive, a shutdown that began in late June and will continue for the duration of the SR 54 work, officials say.
Tampa Bay Beacons reports that the county is steering riders to the Upper Tampa Bay trailhead on Lutz Lake Fern Road as an alternate access point while the project is active. Cyclists are urged to budget extra time, expect short detours, and be ready for slowdowns near the parkway ramps during key construction windows.
Cost, Contractor And Regional Context
Combined, the two bridge projects add up to roughly $18.9 million in construction and are a cornerstone of FDOT and Pasco County's push to close gaps in the wider regional trail network.
Cone & Graham, the contractor on both jobs, notes that the SR 52 bridge comes in at about $9.9 million and the SR 54 structure at roughly $9 million. Planners say these overpasses are just one piece of a larger effort in Pasco and neighboring counties to build out safe, connected multiuse paths as growth continues along SR 52 and SR 54.
Once the new spans open next year, riders should finally have a safer, more seamless route across two of Pasco's most heavily traveled corridors, easing a long-standing safety concern for local cyclists and families. Officials are asking for patience while the cranes and concrete crews finish their work and note that some street-level crossings near the new structures will remain available during certain stages of construction.
