Tampa Bay Express (TBX)
Florida Department of TransportationDistrict Seven
Presentation Agenda
• Introduction
• What is Tampa Bay Express?
• Why is it needed?
• What are the benefits?
• How does it work?
• How did we get here?
• Where are we today?
FDOT District 7
• 5 Counties• 5 Interstates• >500 miles of state roads• >40 Municipalities• >40 Airports• 2 Seaports• 1 Rail Line
Howard FranklandBridge
Existing CongestionUrban Area
Travel Delay(1000 hrs) Rank
Excess Fuel(1000 gal)
Truck Congestion($Million)
Total Congestion
Cost ($ Million)
San Jose, CA 104,559 1 43,972 240 2,230
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 99,710 2 38,542 327 2,196
Riverside-San Bernadina, CA 99,058 3 30,732 361 2,201
Denver-Aurora, CA 91,479 4 44,922 319 2,061
Baltimore, MD 87,620 5 38,661 427 2,075
Portland, OR 72,341 6 39,611 375 1,763
Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL 71,628 7 31,654 237 1,589
St. Louis, MO-IL 69,350 8 32,991 328 1,637
San Antonio, TX 64,350 9 28,809 251 1,462
Las Vegas, NV 64,328 10 30,001 158 1,375
AVERAGE COMMUTER SPENDS 1 ADDITIONAL WEEK AND $900 PER YEAR ON DELAY.
Source: 2015 Urban Mobility Report, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Source: Tampa Bay Regional Planning Model, 2016
A Growing Region
• Population
– Hillsborough: +48%
– Pasco: +97%
– Polk: +41%
• Employment
– Hillsborough: +56%
– Pasco: +200%
– Polk: +45%
Population Growth from 2010 to 2040
Major Activity Center
Future Congestion
75
125
175
225
275
325
375
I-4 I-275
North
I-275
West
I-75
North
Howard
Frankland
Bridge
I-75
South
I-275
Pinellas
EXCEEDS
CAPACITY
2012
2040
2012
2040
2012
2040
2012
2040
2012
2040
2012
2040
2012
2040
Source: Tampa Bay Express Lanes Master Plan, 2016
Vehicle Trips (Thousands)
Transit Impact on Highway Traffic
• Nationwide, 5-6% of commuters take transit
• 200,000 vehicles/day travel I-275 and I-4
• Even if 10% took transit (20,000 vehicles)
• We would still be CONGESTED.
WE NEED IT ALL!!
Connectivity• USF/Innovation District
• Downtown Tampa
• Westshore Business District
• Tampa International Airport
• Pinellas County and Beaches
• Brandon
• Plant City
• Polk County
Regional Mobility
• Better Interchange Design
• Transit Opportunities
• Economic Development
• Congestion Management
• System Reliability
Commuter Choice
Artist’s Rendering
Artist’s Rendering
Actual Billboards
FDOT Investment in Transit
• Median Transit Corridor on I-4 and I-275• Express Bus in Express Lane Study ($200K)• HART’s Express Bus Service in Express Lanes ($3M/5 Year)• Downtown Tampa Multimodal Site ($3.9M in 2006)• TIA’s Automated People Mover ($194M in 2013)• Westshore Regional Multimodal Site ($45M in 2016)• HART’s Regional Premium Transit Feasibility Study ($1.5M)• Tampa’s TECO Line Streetcar Extension Study ($1M) • HART’s Kennedy Blvd. Metro Rapid Corridor Study ($2.5M)• State Block Grant to HART ($24.2M/Five Year)
OVER $275 MILLION
Reconnecting Communities
• I-275 at SR 60 Interchange in Westshore– Reo Street– Occident Street– Trask Street
• I-275 at I-4 in Downtown Tampa– Design Charrettes to identify opportunities
for connectivity– Robles Park
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Amenities• Complete Streets Opportunities• Lighting Improvements
How does it work?
Access Points
Cost and Funding
• Construction Cost Estimate: $3.3 billion
• State Highway Trust Fund
• Tolls
Gross Revenue
Operating and Maintenance
Debt Service
Renewal and Replacement
Excess Revenue
Toll Revenues (Florida Statute 338.166)
Economic Impact
• Jobs Creation: over 92,000 (Federal Highway Administration, 2007 update)
• Return on Investment: $14.5 billion (FDOT, Macroeconomic Analysis of Florida’s Transportation Investment, January 2015)
FDOT has been implementing interstate plan since the 1990s.
Why Express Lanes?
• Original Typical
• Today’s typical
• Bullets
Existing
General
Use Lanes
Existing
General
Use Lanes
Proposed
Express
Lanes
Proposed
Express
Lanes
Future
Transit
Corridor
I-275 from Westshore to Downtown
Plan Consistency
• Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Long Range Transportation Plan
• Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) Master Plan
• FDOT Strategic Intermodal System (SIS) 10 Year Plan
Original Community Commitments
• Bicycle/Pedestrian
• Construction Techniques
• Noise Barriers
• Historic Resources
• Urban Design Guidelines
• Tampa Heights Greenway
• Multimodal Center
Urban Design Guidelines
• Fulfilled or Nearly Fulfilled– I-4 through Ybor City
– I-4/Selmon Expressway Connector
– I-275 through West Tampa
• To be fulfilled– Downtown Tampa
– Tampa Heights
– Seminole Heights
– Westshore
Historic PreservationBefore
During
After
Historic PreservationBefore
Interior Renovations
After
Greenways and Trails
• Tampa Heights Greenway from Columbus Avenue to Waterworks Park
• Connecting gaps through Westshore Business District in partnership with City of Tampa
Greenway along I-275 Artist’s Rendering of Tampa Heights Greenway Courtney Campbell Causeway Trail
Where are we today?
Where are we today?
Right of Way Acquisition Estimate
• Westshore Interchange (I-275/SR 60):
– Commercial 29
– Residential 0
– Vacant 1
• Downtown Tampa Interchange (I-275/I-4)
– Commercial 29
– Residential 125
– Vacant 34
Ten-thousands of NewslettersNumerous Ads and Articles in the NewspaperHundreds of Meetings and PresentationsThousands of Persons View the Website each Month
Community Design Charrettes
• USF Florida Center for Community Design and Research (FCCD+R)
• Downtown Tampa, Tampa Heights, West River, VM Ybor, and Seminole Heights
• Round 1: Oct 2015-Jan 2016 (9 sessions)
• Round 2: Jan 2016-Mar 2016 (8 sessions)
• Round 3: Mar 2016-Jun 2016 (7 sessions)
Round 3 SummaryDesign Strategies
Transit Options
Neighborhood Goals and Objectives• Transform the one-way pair by incorporating a lane of
dedicated transit such as Bus Rapid Transit or streetcar• Transit access and circulation from downtown to
greater USF area• Improved sidewalks and crosswalks on Tampa Street
Florida Avenue • Improved streetscape throughout the corridor• Improved pedestrian lighting• Better traffic light sequencing through out the corridor • Make improvements before construction begins to
maintain neighborhood value
Neighborhood Concerns/Needs• Current one-way pair, Tampa Street and Florida
Avenue, does no support local business• Traffic is fast moving on Tampa Street and Florida
Avenue• Sidewalks are narrow and provide little pedestrian
amenity on Tampa Street and Florida Avenue• Not viewed as “neighborhood” streets
Connectivity
Neighborhood Goals and Objectives
• Increase neighborhood connections under the interstate
• Safe, pedestrian friendly connections through underpasses
• Pedestrian-scaled lighting through underpasses
• Preserve neighborhood character
• No sloping walls at underpasses
Neighborhood Concerns/Needs
• Lack of community connectivity due to the interstate
• Loss of property value in the neighborhood
• Underpasses feel unsafe
• Homeless people loitering under interstate underpasses
Street Coridoor Design
Neighborhood Goals and Objectives
• Convert Columbus to two-way within the neighborhood
• Slow traffic on Columbus Drive
• Enhance crosswalks
• Maintain landscaping
• Include pedestrian-scaled lighting along the street and through the underpass
Neighborhood Concerns/Needs
• Traffic is too fast for the neighborhood
• Unsafe to cross for pedestrians
• Columbus Drive is one-way in some locations
Public Realm Enhancements
Neighborhood Goals and Objectives
• Establish a wide pedestrian path alongside North BLVD under the elevated interstate
• The path needs to be safe, buffered from the street and traffic
• Pedestrian-scaled lighting should run the entire length
• Enhance all crosswalks and signals
• Signage for pedestrian safety for vehicle traffic
• Establish an Education Overlay District to ensure student safety
• Include shade trees along the entire path
Neighborhood Concerns/Needs
• Lack of community connectivity due to the interstate
• Underpasses feel unsafe and are very dark, poorly lit
• Lack of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure
• Many students walk and have bus stops along North Blvd and proposed ramp location
• Fast moving traffic exiting the interstate at North Blvd
• Heavy traffic at North BLVD on/off ramp location
Mitigation
Over Arching Neighborhood Concerns and Goals
Transit across Neighborhoods Added traffic to local streets in the neighborhoods
due to construction
Added traffic wanting to “cut-through” is unsafe for
pedestrians, bicyclists, and school children
Disruption to local businesses
Mass transit could alleviate traffic congestion and
therefore reduce the Tampa Bay Express Plan
Provide efficient transit options to connect the
urban core neighborhoods to the three
employment centers – downtown, West Shore, and
USF area
Support and encourage local business development
on Florida Ave. & Tampa St. by providing access for
local residents
Community sensitive
construction methods
Noise due to construction
Historical property damage
Added dust and air pollution due to construction
Vacant land/property left unmaintained
Utilize auger piles instead of traditional pile driving
Plant trees before construction begins in areas
where appropriate
Do not purchase properties maintain community
cohesion and values until the plan is finalized in
order
Maintenance Will areas adjacent to the interstate and
improvements be maintained
Coordination with the local agencies is underway
Concerns Goals
New Community Commitments-Transit
• Enhanced transit service during construction
– Working with HART
• Express buses and public school bus have toll-free access to express lanes
New Community Commitments-Connectivity and Street Corridor Design
• Enhanced pedestrian connectivity and safety under some overpasses
– Enhanced lighting
– Straight vs. slanted walls
– Overpasses to accommodate complete street elements
• Potential new connections
New Community Commitments-Public Realm Enhancements
• Robles Park
– Working with City of Tampa
• Underpass Plaza between northern downtown and Tampa Heights
• Landscaping
– Working with City of Tampa
• Pond at I-275/MLK
• Relocation of Community Garden
Stay Involved
• Local Outreach Office-Open since 3/28/16
• Community Design Charrettes-To be completed June 2016 (Public Summary-June 7, 2016)
• Library Tour-May 2016 (Starting May 3, 2016)
• Small Group Presentations-May-June 2016
www.tampabayexpress.com
FDOT West Central-Tampa Area @myFDOT_Tampa FDOT District 7
TO SCHEDULE FUTURE PRESENTATIONS, CONTACT:
SAFETY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
Chris SpeeseOutreach Coordinator