TAMPA BAY APPLICATIONS GROUP

An Open Forum for Transportation-Related Issues

July 2008

In This Issue:

Tampa TCEA Update• . . . . . Pg 2

Green Initiatives • at HART . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 3

HART 07-08 Highlights• . . . . Pg 4

HART is on the Move• . . . . Pg 4

New Park-N-Ride• Location for HART . . . . . . Pg 5

TBAG Meeting Speakers • . . . Pg 6

Next Stop : Rapid • Transit . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 7

Upcoming TBAG Meeting

August 21, 2008

See Page 6 for the List of Speakers

“FROM THE CHAIR”

By: Michael Dorweiler, AICP2008 Chairman for the Tampa Bay

Applications Group

Training for the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Model v. 6.1 in Cube Voyager was conducted on June 12, 2008. The Tampa Bay Applications Group (TBAG) would like to thank the Florida Department of Transportation for providing this free, hands-on course to all interested parties. In addition, TBAG would like to thank Tindale-Oliver and Associates, American Consulting Engineers, and URS for sponsoring the AICP CM credits. The training was approved for 6 CM credits.

We have a very exciting TBAG meeting planned for August 21, 2008. Our topic is: Responding to the Changing Transportation Landscape. Details can be found on page 6of this newsletter. This is our back-to-school meeting, so pack your new lunch box and bring a friend. All are welcome.

HART Ridership Continues to RiseBy: Kathy Karalekas, HART Public Information Offi cer

Fueled in part by gas prices, transit ridership is up again in June 2008. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) reached more than 1 million rides on its combined services in the month of June 2008, an increase of 7.3% over June of 2007. Total ridership for bus, streetcar, paratransit and vanpool services was 1,036,089.

Overall bus ridership alone totaled nearly 989,000 rides taken in June 2008, up 7% over the June 2007 total of 921,277.

HART’s Commuter Express service, which takes customers from suburban areas such as Brandon and New Tampa to downtown Tampa and MacDill Air Force Base, compared to 2007, grew 29% with almost 26,000 rides for the month of June 2008.

Ridership on the TECO Line Streetcar System was up 4.1% from June 2007, while HARTplus paratransit service for people with disabilities grew almost 10% with more than 7,000 rides recorded for June 2008.

Vanpool service, which HART operates in partnership with Bay Area Commuter Services (BACS), has not reported June totals yet, but ridership is estimated to approach 8,000. That would be an increase of 13% over June 2007.

In addition, use of HART’s U-Pass service for University of South Florida students, faculty and staff has increased 9.3% year-to-date. The U-Pass program is a partnership with USF that allows students to ride any HART local bus for free with a valid student ID; USF faculty and staff ride for 25¢.

Page 2

Tampa TCEA Update: Building a Livable City ThroughTransportation Policy

By: Jean Dorzback, City of Tampa and Demian Miller, Tindale-Oliver and Associates

A cornerstone of the State Growth Management Act is the requirement that adequate public facilities (e. g. roads, potable water, schools) must be in place concurrent with new development impacts. In 1998, the State recognized that countervailing public policy goals may come into confl ict with the concurrency requirement and provided an option for local governments to establish Transportation Concurrency Exception Areas (TCEA). By exempting development from transportation concurrency in urban areas where alternative mobility options can potentially be supported by land use density and diversity, TCEAs allow local governments to choose to trade increased traffi c congestion for other economic development and quality of life objectives.

While most TCEAs comprise small downtown or community re-development areas (less than 3 square miles), Tampa’sTCEA, fi rst implemented in 1998, includes the entire City south of Fletcher Avenue. As such, it is one of fi ve TCEAs (including Miami-Dade,Orlando, St. Petersburg and Gainesville) that spans 30 or more square miles. By creating a TCEA of this size, Tampa was able to encompass several regional economic hubs including the Tampa International Airport, the Port of Tampa, Westshore Business District, Downtown, USF, MacDill AFB, and a half-dozen major medical centers. However, this approach also included low-and medium-density neighborhoods, strip commercial corridors, and big-box nodes.

Because of this “one-size-fi ts-all” approach, the TCEA has been criticized for enabling more traffi c in neighborhoods and high intensity re-development in areas outside of the core business centers. A major focus of the TCEA Update is to improve the balance between neighborhood quality of life and the City’s economic/re-development goals. The TCEA Update must also address 2005 revisions to State law, such as more stringent requirements to articulate a mobility plan, integration of transportation and land use, and evaluation and mitigation of impacts to the SIS.

The City’s Transportation and Planning staff, Planning Commission staff, and Tindale-Oliver and Associates have worked together to address these new statutory requirements in conjunction with the City’s policy objectives. A tiered review process has been framed which encourages intense development along existing and planned mass transit corridors and within business centers while restoring the City’s ability to require large-

scale development outside of these areas to offset roadway system impacts through equal mitigation or proportionate fair share contributions. The Plan also includes policies which will enable the City to require development to mitigate impacts to residential neighborhoods when signifi cant impacts to the major road network cannot be adequately absorbed.

Other policy aspects of the TCEA Update provide for an increased focus on transportation capital planning including increased coordination with HART and development of a longer-term Roadway Capital Plan. This Roadway Capital Plan will help developers understand how project impacts interact with the City’s Business Plan and should provide a measure of certainty with respect to contributions toward the mitigation of traffi c impacts.

Following transmittal to the Department of Community Affairs, the City will begin working on the Land Development Codes. Two signifi cant challenges will be codifying a fair and reasonable defi nition of “Mass Transit Service” and implementing revised traffi c study procedures which consider: defi ning de minimis impact, establishing baseline conditions for equal mitigation and proportionate fair share (which may exceed the nominal “D” LOS standard), establishing a proportionate share approach for neighborhood traffi c mitigation, and implementing traffi c monitoring procedures which may include area-wide measures of congestion and/or duration of congestion. Questions can be directed to Demian Miller: dmiller@tindaleoliver. com.

DATES TO REMEMBER2008 Schedule

August 21, 2008

October 23, 2008

TBAG Banquet December 8, 2008

Page 3

Using transit instead of driving is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do And you can take heart in the fact that your public transit agency is doing its part to help the environment From operating hybrid vehicles to recycling, HART looks after our environment

Vehicles

HART purchased three 40-foot Parallel Hybrid buses ✓✓in 2004 (as shown to the right) Hybrid buses emit 87% fewer total hydrocarbons than diesel, and get 18% more miles per gallon

HART’s fleet of staff vehicles includes two Toyota ✓✓Prius hybrid cars, each averageing 38 MPG

Company Practices

HART recycles waste oil, used uncrushed oil filters, ✓✓coolant, scrap metal, aluminum and office paper

HART captures and reuses Freon using a reclaim ✓✓machine

HART purchases recycled coolant ✓✓

HART takes advantage of waterless urinals to reduce ✓✓water consumption

HART minimizes the use of aerosol products by using ✓✓a chemical dilution with a spray bottle

HART crushes fluorescent bulbs, recycling glass and ✓✓mercury

Prior to purchasing any chemicals and cleaners, HART ✓✓reviews the Material Safety Data Sheet for product contents, flammability and reactivity rating Products containing certain ingredients are not allowed on any HART properties

HART equips all new transit/transfer centers with ✓✓motion sensor lights in restroom facilities

Designations

Named among “Best ✓✓Workplace for Commuters” as an employee-friendly and environmentally conscious organization

Awarded Clean Air ✓✓Partnership Designation by the Environmental Protection Commission

Received GreenFleet ✓✓designation through the EPC u

Green Initiatives at HARTBy: Kathy Karalekas, HART Public Information Officer

We are HARTIn 2008, HART will focus attention on core service, aiming to move more people faster and more efficiently than ever before To that end, HART will be streamlining the corporate identity as the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, or HART

We ask that our community partners, customers, and members of the media eliminate “HARTline” and use the word “HART” when referring to the agency or our services

Driven to Serve You

Our new slogan, “Driven to Serve You,” reflects the promise of everyone from the CEO, to administrative staff, to our outstanding drivers and mechanics, to deliver the finest quality transportation service available It’s a reminder to us, and to our customers, that great service takes a high-level commitment And we hope you’ll hold us to it

Visit us on the web at:

www.goHART.org

Page 4

Streetcar Extension Moves Forward – The City of Tampa and HART have reached agreement on the extension of the line to Whiting Street This project will provide better access to the downtown core and make the system more practical for work trips as the residential developments along the line become occupied Construction should begin later this year

Tampa International Airport Transfer Center – Partnering with Tampa International Airport, HART will be constructing a new bus transfer center on Aviation Authority property in the Westshore Business District The new center will be a hub for the planned East-West BRT route, local routes, and PSTA cross-bay expresses

Ribbon cutting of the West Tampa Transfer Center, October 2007. Pictured from left to right Ricardo Roig, previous HART Board Chair, Rose Ferlita, Hillsborough County Commissioner and HART Board member, Shelton Quarles, TBARTA Board Chair, David Armijo, HART CEO, Jeannette Fenton, West Tampa CRA Manager

Northwest Transfer Center – After years of operating a major transfer center out of a shopping center parking lot, HART patrons in the northwest part of the county now enjoy a new facility built just for buses Thanks to a partnership between HART and Hillsborough County, the new facility is located on the banks of a large canal, adjacent to the Northwest YMCA and the Upper Tampa Bay Trail The center opened July 27, 2008

Funding Sought for Second BRT Line – With the North-South BRT line funded, HART has begun seeking federal grants for a companion East-West BRT line That line would connect Temple Terrace with Tampa International Airport and the Westshore Business District using Hillsborough Avenue

Student Ridership Grows – The bus rides provided using the University Pass (U-Pass) partnership between HART and the University of South Florida continues to grow The system allows students to ride free by showing their current USF ID card

HART Represented on Regional Authority – The newly formed Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) is developing a transit plan for the region HART is represented on the Transit Management Committee, which was created to give the existing transit operators input into the planning process A Regional Transportation Master Plan is required per the legislation by July 2009 u

HART Highlights 2007-2008By: Ed Crawford, HART Public Information Officer

HART Is On The MoveDowntown Offices Move and New Location is Dedicated

The downtown executive staff employees and members of the finance department staff have moved to HART’s new location in Ybor City The new building, located at 1201 E 7th Avenue, Ybor City, was dedicated to Raymond C Miller, the previous HART Chief Executive Officer who passed away last year

The main phone number (813) 223-6831 remains the same, but staff extensions have changed When calling, please ask for your party by name and the new extension will be provided If you’re not sure how to contact someone from the HART staff, you can always call the 21st Avenue main switchboard at (813) 623-5835

Page 5

HART Dedicates New Park-n-Ride Location with Village Inn Treats for RidersBy: Kathy Karalekas, HART Public Information Officer

Beginning Monday, July 7th, HART began operation of a new Park-n-Ride facility at the FishHawk Sports Complex, located at 16120 FishHawk Boulevard in Lithia To thank our current customers, and to encourage new riders to give HART’s Park-n-Ride service a try, Village Inn was on hand each day from 5:30 a m until 7:00 a m with free pie samples, coffee, and coupons

Just the Facts

Here are some facts about the new FishHawk Park-n-Ride:

94 spaces with 4 ADA ✓✓accessible spaces

Serves Route 24X - ✓✓F i s h H a w k / R i v e r v i e w /MacDill AFB Express (4 trips) and Route 27X - FishHawk/South Brandon to Downtown (3 trips)

Two shelters with lighting and bench seating ✓✓

Bike rack ✓✓

Sidewalk access with ADA curb cuts ✓✓

Easy access from FishHawk Blvd ✓✓

Well-lit, tree-lined facility with overhead ✓✓lighting

Operating Hours: 5:30 a m to 7:00 p m ✓✓

The project is a partnership among HART, Hillsborough County and Newland

Communities

This location replaces the previous Park-n-Ride at FishHawk Fellowship Church, just west of the sports complex on FishHawk Boulevard There will be no HART Park-n-Ride service at the church location after Thursday, July 3rd

Want to find a Park-n-Ride near you? Visit HART’s website, www.goHART.org for a

listing of all Park-n-Ride locations u

A New Management Look for HARTMr David Armijo joined HART as Chief Executive Officer on August 24, 2007 He has 25 years of experience in the transportation industry Mr Armijo comes to HART after serving as Chief Toll Operations Officer for the Transportation Corridors Agency in Orange County, California Previous experience includes General Manager for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, overseeing transit services for the county’s Westside and Central Los Angeles area He was also Director of Operations at the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), where he managed the Authority’s bus, paratansit, and commuter rail services, and the county’s taxi administration program

HART also recently named Brenda Mowen as its new Chief Administrative Officer She started work on Monday, June 30 Ms Mowen’s mass transit experience spans 20 years and two transit properties Most recently, Ms Mowen served as Assistant Vice President of Procurement for Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority functions that will come under Ms Mowen’s purview include purchasing and information services She will report directly to David Armijo

Ms Mowen’s appointment rounds out HART’s new-look management team Along with Mr Armijo and Risk Management, HART recently welcomed Chief of Bus Operations Carlos Tobar from California; and Chief of Maintenance and Engineering Philip Hale from Dallas In addition to the three new faces, the management team also includes longer-term HART staff members Ed Crawford, Chief of Government Affairs; Mary Shavalier, Chief of Planning, Community Relations and Marketing; Bob Potts, Chief of Staff; and David Persaud, Chief Financial Officer

Page 6

ATTENTION Tampa Bay Applications Group - Brown Bag Meeting

August 21, 2008FDOT District Seven Office from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Auditorium Opens at 11:30 a.m.)

The Changing Transportation LandscapeRonnie Duncan, Pinellas County CommissionerBalancing Local Vision with Regional Needs

Pinellas County Commissioner Ronnie Duncan is a highly-respected advocate for improved transportation connectivity within Pinellas County and the Tampa Bay Area Locally, Commissioner Duncan has been a strong supporter of the development of the Pinellas County Livable Communities Comprehensive Plan (June 2007) The Plan promotes livable communities by providing transit, bicycling and walking options through land development design that could be implemented as credit toward transportation impact fee payments or by complying with local concurrency management system requirements

Commissioner Duncan also plays a very important role in developing a regional vision by serving as Vice-Chair of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA), which is charged with creating a regional Transportation Master Plan by July 2009 A key focus of TBARTA will be multimodal projects that address regional needs that complement local plans and projects Commissioner Duncan will address how he balances his role as local transportation advocate for Pinellas County while also providing leadership in creating a regional master plan for the Tampa Bay area

Tom Rossi, Cambridge Systematics, Inc.Transportation Planning Research - Responding to the Changing Landscape

The past few years have seen some significant changes in travel behavior While rapid increases in gasoline prices have “fueled” some of these changes, there have been other factors at work as well Planners and researchers have been scrambling to keep up with the changing transportation landscape Congestion relief, road pricing, and climate change remain hot topics Research has continued to focus on these topics and how to analyze the effects of related programs and projects This presentation will address the federal research topics that are underway and how they will impact local transportation planning

Jean Dorzback, City of Tampa and Demian Miller, Tindale-Oliver and AssociatesTampa TCEA Update: Building a Livable City Through Transportation Policy

In 1998, The City of Tampa adopted a Transportation Concurrency Exception Area (TCEA) that includes the entire City south of Fletcher Avenue The TCEA allows the City to waive the concurrency requirement for roads in order to encourage infill and redevelopment—ideally to achieve land use density and diversity capable of supporting alternative travel modes As part of the ongoing TCEA Update, the City has drafted policies which align the transportation study and mitigation process more closely to the “Livable City” vision at the core of the Comprehensive Plan This presentation will provide an overview of the technical approach used to develop the data and analysis necessary to support the City’s TCEA Update Also discussed will be the challenges of creating a tiered development review framework that balances the City’s vision and policies with statutory requirements, while remaining objective and fair to development interests

Page 7

Next Stop: Rapid TransitBy: Ed Crawford, HART Public Information Offi cer

BRT will soon be hitting the road right here in Tampa. BRT refers to a type of bus route that is sometimes compared to light rail systems for its effi ciency and speed - but at a fraction of the cost to implement. Many cities are fi nding it to be an effective and cost-effi cient

alternative. With limited stops, higher frequency, sleek vehicles, modern station stops and advanced technology, people who take advantage of all that BRT has to offer are enjoying the ride.

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) formed a task force last year to study transportation issues in the county. As part of the BCC transportation initiative, the commissioners approved a $40-million commitment to HART to establish a BRT system. Of the $40 million allocated for transit improvements, $31 million will go to construction and engineering/design for BRT; $2 million for transit signal priority; and $4 million will be used for establishing new Park-n-Ride locations in Brandon and North Tampa.

HART is planning the fi rst phase of BRT service for the I-275 North to South Corridor. The route is planned to run on Nebraska Avenue from downtown Tampa, then east along Fletcher Avenue to the vicinity of Telecom Park (west of I-75). The Nebraska Avenue route follows the path of HART’s local Route 2, which carries about a million passengers a year and is the busiest in the system.

Design and engineering work will also be underway soon for an east-west BRT route, connecting Tampa International Airport, the Westshore Business District and HART’s Netpark bus transfer center at Hillsborough Avenue and 56th Street. The North-South and East-West routes will meet at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, so passengers can easily transfer between them.

Work on the planning study has been completed. Design and engineering will follow this year and into 2009, and operation of BRT service on the I-275 North to South Corridor is scheduled to begin in early 2010.

Advanced technology helps give BRT passengers a faster ride compared to other bus routes. One such technological component is signal prioritization, which allows the vehicle to interact with traffi c signals to give the bus priority travel. As a BRT vehicle approaches an intersection, it will send a signal to the traffi c light. The light will then either hold on green for a few seconds longer, or turn from red to green a few seconds sooner. Other drivers on the road shouldn’t notice any signifi cant difference in their traffi c patterns.

Another aspect of BRT that helps to speed travel time is the ability to pay the fare in advance of boarding, rather than onboard the bus. Automatic ticket vending machines will be installed at each BRT station, so passengers buy their fare cards at the station and can quickly board the bus. No more stopping at the front of the bus to pay your fare!

Co-editor: Kasey Cursey Gannett Fleming, Inc. 9119 Corporate Lake Drive • Suite 150 Tampa, FL 33634 (813) 882-4366 • Fax (813) 884-4609 kcursey@aol.com

Co-editor: Michael Dorweiler PBS&J5300 West Cypress Street • Suite 300Tampa, FL 33607 (813) 282-7275 mjdorweiler@pbsj.com

FDOT - District Seven Modal Planning & Development 11201 North McKinley Drive Tampa, FL 33612

The Tampa Bay Applications Group Newsletter is published under contract to the FDOT District Seven Planning Offi ce in Tampa. FSUTMS users and TBAG members contribute all information and material contained in the newsletter. Please contact the editors to submit articles for future issues or to get on the mailing list.

SAVE THE DATE: ANNUAL TBAG

BANQUET

When: Monday, December 8th

Where: New Location - MOSI 4801 E. Fowler Ave. Tampa, Florida 33617Who: All TBAG Members are welcome

Details to follow soon