tbarta holding public meetings
tommyPress Release from TBARTA:
Where Do Your Daily Travels Take You? TBARTA Wants to Know
The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority seeks public participation in its master plan.
As the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) begins the task of developing a transportation “master plan” for the region, it is asking the public to share their ideas and concerns at a series of Community Workshops that will be held from March 10 – 20, 2008 at locations throughout the seven-county region.
Community Workshops will be held from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the following locations. The workshops will be held “open house” style and members of the public are invited to stop by any time.
Hillsborough County – Monday, March 10
Hilton Garden Inn (I-75 & Fletcher), 13305 Tampa Oaks Blvd, Temple TerraceHernando County – Tuesday, March 11
Hernando County Courthouse, 20 N. Main St., BrooksvilleCitrus County – Wednesday, March 12
Lecanto Government Building, Room 166, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, LecantoPinellas County – Thursday, March 13
Holiday Inn Select (Ulmerton & Roosevelt), 3535 Ulmerton Rd., ClearwaterManatee County – Monday, March 17
Bradenton Auditorium, 1005 Barcarrota Blvd., BradentonPasco County – Tuesday, March 18
West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road, New Port RicheySarasota County – Thursday, March 20
Sarasota County Technical Institute Cafeteria, Building 5, 4748 Beneva (at Proctor), SarasotaTBARTA has been tasked with creating a transportation “master plan” that will connect the seven counties of our region and improve mobility for people and goods. Stage one in the master planning process focuses on important regional transportation corridors, areas where the majority of people are currently traveling back and forth across our region. In each of a dozen areas, community workshop participants will be asked to consider possible locations for transportation improvements. For example, I-75 today carries a significant amount of regional traffic between Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, and sometimes breakdowns occur. Other parallel corridors in this area include US 41, US 301, and a rail corridor owned by CSX Corporation. Would any of these four corridors be a good location for a major transportation project to carry regional trips? The Community Workshops will allow TBARTA to ask the public directly for their suggestions and recommendations in each of the twelve areas.
“These Community Workshops are an important first step in developing our transportation master plan,” said Shelton Quarles, TBARTA Chairman. “Identifying the best corridor choices to serve each area’s needs would be nearly impossible without hearing from the people who know each area best.”
As the master planning process moves into stages two and three, additional workshops will be held for public input as well.
For more information on TBARTA and the master planning process, visit www.TBARTA.com or call 813-217-4048.
Individuals requiring accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Brandie Miklus at 813-217-4037 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting. Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, nation origin, disability, or family status.
The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority was created by the Florida Legislature in 2007 to plan and develop a multimodal transportation system that will connect the seven counties of the Tampa Bay region. These counties include Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota. TBARTA’s mission is to improve mobility and expand multimodal transportation options for passengers and freight throughout the seven-county region. The legislature has mandated that TBARTA must create a Regional Transportation Master Plan for the Tampa Bay region by July 2009. The goal of this Master Plan is to engage the public in developing a vision for regional integration of transportation systems and foster partnerships with government agencies and business entities.
The only “community workshop” scheduled for Hillsborough County is tonight in Temple Terrace.
Hillsborough County – Monday, March 10
Hilton Garden Inn (I-75 & Fletcher), 13305 Tampa Oaks Blvd, Temple Terrace
Pinellas hosts TBARTA on Thursday
Pinellas County – Thursday, March 13
Holiday Inn Select (Ulmerton & Roosevelt), 3535 Ulmerton Rd., Clearwater
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March 11th, 2008 at 10:21 am
What are the chances that Tampa Bay will get a commuter rail transportation system out of this fact finding mission? It seems that with all of the traffic issues and suburban sprawl in Hills. Cnty, a commuter rail to the main commercial & entertainment centers connecting both Hills. and Pinellas Cntys would really take the community to a new level of liveability.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Commuter rail only happens if:
1. Government invests lots of money to build new track (this also includes right of way land putchaes)…or
2. Freight rail companies negotiate for use of their tracks. Given that the volume of freight is expected to double in 20 years, passenger rail access will either not exist, or increase massively in costs.
If this area really wants rail, it must be willing to encumber the massive costs, and it must convince Tallahassee and Washington it is even feasible to try.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I tried to take bus to this meeting in Temple Terrace yesterday. From South Tampa, it took 3 buses and 2 hours to get there, including a 1 mile walk. I was the only one there who managed to take public transportation to the meeting.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
WE NEED A RAIL SYSTEM!! Just look to Japan or Europe. Heck we built those systems after WWII and they improved on them. Seperate track for freight, in town commuter, high speed commuter and inter region/state high speed. All the tracks need elevated. By the way as much as everyone rags on Disney, yes I do too, TBARTA needs to look to them on how to run and plan an effective mass transit system-rail,bus and boat.
March 11th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
James,
We need better forms of transit for all modes. What good is a rail station if one can’t park their car there? How do they get to their office once they get off if we don’t have buses? When ships offload their cargo, how do the products get to market (our food, our clothes, our iPod’s)?
The problems exist far beyond simply building rail. And building entirely separate tracks is very cost prohibitive. Government had better be ready to put up a pretty penny to pay for that land where the tracks will run through - and had better be able to convince constituents that the money was well spent.