Making Regional Mass Transit a Reality

Our Goal: “The City of Tampa will work on a regional basis to create a mass transit system consisting of both rail and enhanced bus service to serve future generations.” The establishment of mass transit as one of Tampa’s strategic goals demonstrates the city’s commitment to working with leaders across the Tampa Bay area to develop a mass transit system that meets the needs of the entire region. Additionally, the city funded a Transit Manager position in fiscal year 2007. The Transit Manager serves as a catalyst to move the city’s mass transit initiative forward and is focused solely on transit for the City of Tampa and the region.

Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority

Established by the Florida Legislature in July 2007, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority (“TBARTA”) includes the seven counties of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota. The authority’s purpose is to plan an improved and expanded transportation network for the seven-county region. TBARTA is represented by a 16-member governing board in which Mayor Pam Iorio represents the City of Tampa. One of the goals of TBARTA is to promote a seamless integration between regional and local transit systems, coordinate with existing agencies, municipalities and governing bodies and develop and adopt a comprehensive Regional Transportation Master Plan by July 1, 2009.

Tampa City Council Mass Transit Workshop Series

In November 2007, Mayor Iorio kicked off the first of her mass transit information series with a workshop facilitated by one of the transit industry’s leading experts Cal Marsella. Marsella, General Manager for the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD), is leading FasTracks, a $4.7 billion program. FasTracks is a 12-year effort that will build 119 miles of new commuter rail and light rail; 18 miles of bus rapid transit; 21,000 new parking spaces at rail and bus stations; and provide expanded bus service throughout an eight-county district. During his presentation he focused on the role of elected officials, mass transit funding initiatives and discussed a regional approach to meeting the transportation needs of the City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay region.

The City of  Tampa continued its mass transit information series with a workshop led by Richard Simonetta, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Metro Rail (METRO) in Phoenix, Arizona. Simonetta presented an overview to Tampa City Council on April 25, 2008 , on how the Phoenix region got its light rail transit system. Phoenix is scheduled to open its initial 20-mile starter light rail segment December 2008.  Additional extensions are scheduled over the next five years, totaling more than 57 miles of light rail transit. Simonetta stressed that in order for the Tampa Bay area to reach its transit goals, officials must galvanize the political will to form a single vision.

Presentations

November 2007 Low bandwith City Council Workshop presentation* (wmv video format, 21 MB)

November 2007 High bandwith City Council Workshop presentation* (wmv video format, 99 MB)

City of Tampa Mass Transit Stakeholders’ Mass Transit Roundtable

A stakeholders’ roundtable discussion concerning mass transit for the future of the City of Tampa was held in November 2007. Leaders of the following organizations were represented: Tampa International Airport, USF, Westshore Alliance, Tampa Downtown Partnership, HART, Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce and Tampa Bay Partnership. The participation of these strategic partners presented a great opportunity to exchange dialogue and discuss the benefits of mass transit for both the city and the greater Tampa Bay region.

The second mass transit roundtable was conducted in April 2008. The discussion was led by Richard Simonetta, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Metro Rail (METRO) in Phoenix, Arizona. Simonetta is one of the leading experts in the mass transit industry and he explained Phoenix’s light rail initiative. In response to accommodating the Valley’s skyrocketing growth, voters cast their ballots in November 2004 in support of Proposition 400, a half-cent sales tax that helps fund projects in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Combined with federal matching funds and other funding sources, revenues from the half-cent sales tax will help provide $9.4 billion (adjusted for inflation) for public transportation improvements over the next 20 years.

Upcoming Events

TBARTA Board Field Trip is scheduled for June 16, 2008 from 9 a.m. until 12 noon at the Frederick B. Karl County Center, located at 601 East Kennedy Boulevard, 26th Floor. Participants will include Tampa City Council members, City of Tampa staff (transportation and land use), HART representatives, the MPO, Hillsborough County Commissioners, and the Hillsborough County Administrator.  Scheduled presentations will feature Mayor Pam Iorio and a discussion on increased travel time in the Tampa Bay area, the Hillsborough County MPO 2050 Transit Plan and plans for light rail transit at Tampa International Airport.

* Windows streaming media (wmv) files require a software plug-in such as Windows Media Player. You can download a free copy of Microsoft Windows Media Player for the Windows and MacIntosh platforms, as well as an Apple QuickTime plug-in.