TBARTA Outlines Regional Transportation Goals for Coming Year

Dec. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- At a workshop last week, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) Board agreed to support discussions at the state and local level about potential agency mergers as a means of saving taxpayer dollars.

“Are we supportive of these discussions? Yes. But we need to see something concrete first,’’ said Board Chairman Ronnie Duncan. “It’s important that we are a part of the conversation.”  

The board also discussed offering TBARTA assistance with transportation planning during the Republican National Convention in August 2012; identifying and promoting new sources of revenue for transportation projects and developing short-term solutions to reduce traffic congestion as priorities for 2012.

“There is a transportation funding crisis in this country and we must address it,’’ Duncan said. “But crisis breeds opportunity - an opportunity to do things differently.’’

Specifically, the board discussed increasing private sector involvement in funding transportation projects, an effort TBARTA’s Citizens Advisory Committee is actively pursuing. In addition, TBARTA will work to identify and implement inexpensive short-term solutions such as managed lanes, park and ride lots, express bus and shoulder bus operations to reduce traffic congestion. Leveraging local dollars can also help the Tampa Bay region draw down more state and federal funds, the board said.

“There are no easy solutions; there is no panacea; it must be a combination of all of these approaches,’’ Duncan emphasized. “But it is our responsibility to have honest and frank discussions about these difficult issues.’’  

The TBARTA board reviewed the agency’s progress and discussed goals for the coming year during a day-long workshop last week.

TBARTA Executive Director Bob Clifford shared some statistics with the board that demonstrate the state of transportation funding in the U.S. and Florida.

•   An estimated $2 billion is needed to repair the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
•   At current spending levels, the state of Florida is expected to have $136 billion in unfunded transportation needs by 2040.
•   Florida faces a $5 billion decrease in gas tax revenue by 2020.
•   The state has had $10 billion in transportation revenue reductions since 2004.
•   More than $3 billion in state transportation funds have been diverted to non-transportation uses in the past decade.

“Based on these facts, our goal is to continue to focus on small, incremental steps that will improve transportation in the region today,’’ Clifford said.  

For the Republican National Convention, which is expected to bring an estimated 50,000 people to the region over several days, Clifford said it is essential that local leaders work with the host committee to help move people efficiently. With the national spotlight on Tampa Bay, transportation could become a focus if sufficient planning does not take place.

“With the Florida Department of Transportation, we are looking at how to move people across the bridge between Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in an effective and efficient way,” Clifford said. “That could include express bus services in exclusive lanes or some type of shoulder bus operation to bypass congestion.’’

A successful “demonstration project” during the convention could continue beyond the event, he said.

“It is important from an economic development perspective that we seek to provide residents and visitors with transportation options,’’ Clifford said.  

Decreased revenue at all levels has led to increased discussion about consolidation of public entities such as the Hillsborough Area Transit Authority (HART) and Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), as well as proposals to merge the state’s expressway authorities. The TBARTA board indicated that the proposals may have merit but need to be carefully reviewed.

“Consolidation is being discussed and we are being asked our opinion on these issues,” Clifford said. “We want to get all the facts and be of assistance in any way we can.’’

The TBARTA board reviewed its successes over the past year, including updating the Regional Transportation Master Plan to include all modes of transportation, such as airports, seaports and freight.

Other achievements include:

•   A reduction in expenses of more than 25 percent
•   Increased participation in TBARTA’s Commuter Services programs by more than 20 percent
•   A $1 million Federal Transit Administration grant to fund a regional transportation information center

“Overall, we have managed to do more with less and continue providing essential services to the public,’’ said Clifford. “These are challenging times but we are making progress and moving forward.’’

For the 2012 year, the TBARTA board elected the following officers: Ronnie Duncan, chairman; Pasco County Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, vice chairman; Pinellas County Commissioner Karen Seel, secretary; and Hugh McGuire, treasurer.