HART has shared its list of priorities with lawmakers, starting with the farebox. This is especially important now as lawmakers prepare to consider new funding for projects in 2015.
HART ridership has surged 20 percent over the past five years, despite the challenge of a budget that has only grown 5 percent in that period. Because of this, the HART Board of Directors and its CEO, Katharine Eagan, have laid out five key priorities for this legislative session that benefit HART riders, support the local economy, and improve quality of life.
- Regional Revenue Collection and Inter-Jurisdictional Mobility Project: HART leads this project across Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, and Sarasota counties. When complete, patrons will travel across the Tampa Bay region seamlessly using one fare media, available on smart cards and downloaded to mobile devices. The full cost of the project is $12.6 million with $2.2 million identified and funded through state and regional sources.
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Vehicles: Through the recession, HART extended the useful life of many of our buses, delaying our full conversion to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles. We are seeking $16,440,176 for the purchase of 53 CNG buses to bring our fleet back to the minimum federal useful life of 12 years; currently our oldest vehicles will be on site for 15 years. A younger fleet also provides improved fuel economy, lower maintenance expenses, and improved service reliability.
- MetroRapid (East/West): HART has completed the Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) Study and 30% design for its next MetroRapid corridor, connecting Temple Terrace and eastern Hillsborough County to Tampa International Airport. To complete this project, HART is seeking $21,200,000 for construction and capital investments and $8,750,000 for CNG buses to support the new route.
- Metro Rapid (Kennedy Blvd./TIA): HART is seeking $1,765,000 for a PD&E on the next HART identified MetroRapid project, Kennedy Boulevard, connecting downtown Tampa and the Tampa International Airport along one of the busiest corridors in the Bay area.
- TECO Line Streetcar System Maintenance Improvements: Finally, HART is seeking approximately $1 million for maintenance improvements to the TECO Line Streetcar System which connects Ybor City, the Channel District, and downtown Tampa. Expediting maintenance means the Streetcar system is ready to serve the increasing demand from Tampa's growing downtown and planned development tied to the Channel District and Strategic Property Partners. This represents maintenance scheduled over the next five years, but which will be necessary to accommodate the demands of more frequent service.
HART is on track to provide over 15 million passenger trips in FY15, and the Authority continues to set ridership records every month. The projects listed above come from a partnership of local, state, and federal resources to support the agency's progress and the pace the region requires to sustain strong growth and build a more responsive, reliable, and useful transportation network.
