Downtown Access Study Final Report

Transcription

Hillsborough County MPO
Tampa Downtown Access Study
Issues Identification and Action Plan
Table of Contents
Page
Section
1.0
2.0
STATEMENT OF STUDY PURPOSE...............................................................................1
1.1
Study Area .............................................................................................................. 1
1.2
Stakeholders Interviewed........................................................................................ 1
PROJECTS AND STUDIES ...............................................................................................4
2.1
Projects Under Construction ................................................................................... 9
I-275/I-4 Interchange Interim Improvements ......................................................... 9
I-4 Improvements.................................................................................................. 10
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes................................. 11
2.2
Funded Projects Not Yet Under Construction ...................................................... 12
I-275 Improvements (LINKS 2 and 3) from the Hillsborough River to
the Howard Frankland Bridge............................................................................... 12
Meridian Street...................................................................................................... 13
Cultural Arts District............................................................................................. 15
Reconnection of North Franklin Street ................................................................. 16
Cruise Terminal #4 ............................................................................................... 17
Riverwalk.............................................................................................................. 18
THCEA/City of Tampa ITS Center and Hillsborough County Traffic
Management Center .............................................................................................. 19
2.3
Planned Projects Not Yet Funded ......................................................................... 20
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Connector (I-4) ................................... 20
High Speed Rail .................................................................................................... 21
Streetcar Extension(s) ........................................................................................... 22
Tampa Rail Project ............................................................................................... 24
Platt Street and Columbus Drive Moveable Bridge Replacements ...................... 25
Arts District Boulevard Concept (Ashley Drive).................................................. 25
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Widening .................................. 28
2.4
Studies/Plans ......................................................................................................... 28
Downtown DRI Update ........................................................................................ 28
East-West Two-Way Streets ................................................................................. 29
Intermodal Transportation Plan ............................................................................ 30
Tampa Heights Community Plan.......................................................................... 31
Traffic Simulation Model for the Downtown Tampa Area .................................. 32
Kennedy Boulevard CMS Study........................................................................... 32
Nebraska Avenue “Road Diet” Concept............................................................... 33
ITS Master Plan .................................................................................................... 34
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September 2, 2003
Table of Contents
Page
Section
3.0
4.0
Transit Development Plan (2004 - 2013).............................................................. 35
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Off-Ramp at Cass Street........... 36
Tampa Greenways and Trails Master Plan ........................................................... 37
Downtown Transit Linkages Report..................................................................... 38
2.5
Selected Land Development Projects ................................................................... 38
Florida Second District Court of Appeals Courtrooms, Offices,
and Law Library.................................................................................................... 38
Stetson Law School............................................................................................... 39
12th Street Yard Redevelopment .......................................................................... 39
Bank of America Redevelopment Project............................................................. 39
Pinnacle Project .................................................................................................... 40
Hillsborough River Realty (Hillsborough River Tower) ...................................... 40
DOWNTOWN ACCESS ISSUES.....................................................................................41
3.1
Transit ................................................................................................................... 41
Bus Transit ............................................................................................................ 41
Streetcar ................................................................................................................ 43
Tampa Rail Project ............................................................................................... 43
High Speed Rail .................................................................................................... 43
3.2
Pedestrian Mobility/Safety.................................................................................... 43
3.3
Bicycle Mobility/Safety ........................................................................................ 44
3.4
Parking (Structure and Surface)............................................................................ 45
3.5
Downtown Signalization....................................................................................... 45
3.6
Downtown Signage............................................................................................... 45
3.7
Special Events....................................................................................................... 46
3.8
Truck Traffic......................................................................................................... 46
3.9
Roadway Construction Projects............................................................................ 47
I-275/I-4 Interchange Improvements .................................................................... 47
Meridian Street/Reversible Lanes......................................................................... 47
3.10 Two-Way Streets .................................................................................................. 47
3.11 Downtown Master Plan......................................................................................... 47
3.12 Redevelopment ..................................................................................................... 47
ACTION PLAN .................................................................................................................49
4.1
Downtown Master Plan......................................................................................... 49
4.2
Immediate Action Items........................................................................................ 52
4.3
Short-Term Action Items ...................................................................................... 54
4.4
Long-Term Action Items............................................................................................... 57
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September 2, 2003
Table of Contents
Appendices (Under Separate Cover)
A
B
C
Pre-Interview Package
Interview Notes
Project Information Excerpts
List of Tables
Page
Table
1-1
2-1
Stakeholders Interviewed.....................................................................................................3
Issues Related to Projects and Studies .................................................................................4
List of Figures
Figure
1-1
2-1
2-2
3-1
4-1
4-2
Page
Study Area Map ...................................................................................................................2
Funded Projects....................................................................................................................7
Planned Projects...................................................................................................................8
Access and Circulation Issues............................................................................................42
Downtown Gateways and Destinations .............................................................................50
Downtown Circulation Issues ............................................................................................51
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September 2, 2003
1.0
STATEMENT OF STUDY PURPOSE
Throughout the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County, there are many transportation and
related projects and proposals underway that may affect access to and circulation within the
downtown Tampa area. Though any one proposal may not have tremendous impact individually,
the cumulative impact of these projects will be significant.
The purpose of this phase of the Downtown Tampa Access Study is to develop a comprehensive
list of projects, proposals, concerns, and issues that may affect access to and circulation within
downtown Tampa. Each project, proposal, and issue described includes a discussion of potential
impacts on access to and circulation within downtown, as best known at this time. The final
section of this report includes an Action Plan that identifies how to pursue solutions for issues
discussed.
1.1
Study Area
While the common definition of the downtown area is bound by water (Hillsborough River,
Garrison Channel, and Ybor Channel) and the interstate (I-275 and I-4), the intent of this study is
to look beyond the traditional boundaries of downtown. As shown in Figure 1-1, the study area
is defined by the following boundaries:
1.2
•
50th Street on the east,
•
Hillsborough Avenue on the north,
•
MacDill Avenue on the west, and
•
Bay to Bay Boulevard on the south.
Stakeholders Interviewed
Stakeholders were identified as those agencies or organizations that have known interests, plans,
or projects in the study area. Stakeholder representatives were interviewed during April and
May of 2003. Each representative was sent a pre-interview package consisting of a
questionnaire, map of the study area, and meeting confirmation letter. The pre-interview
package is included in Appendix A. Table 1-1 summarizes the agencies interviewed and the
issues discussed specific to those agencies interests. Summarized interview notes are provided in
Appendix B.
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September 2, 2003
TABLE 1-1
STAKEHOLDERS INTERVIEWED
Agency/Organization
Ybor City Development Corporation
Tampa Heights Civic Association, Central City
Community Development Corporation, VM Ybor
Neighborhood Association
City of Tampa Transportation Division
Interviewed Representative, Title
Maricela Medrano, Planner
Brenda Thrower, Economic Development
Ralph Schuler, Tampa Heights Neighborhood
David Foster, Central City Development Corporation
Carrol Josephs-Marshall, VM Ybor Neighborhood
Elton Smith, Director of Transportation
Mahdi Mansour, Transportation
Taha Ataya, Transportation
Jose Fernandez, Parking Division
Date
04.01.03
04.02.03
Streetcar, pedestrian mobility, redevelopment opportunities
04.09.03
Pedestrian mobility, streetcar, parking, signage, ITS, twoway streets, surface street capacity
Hillsborough County City-County Planning
Commission
Ray Chiaramonte, Assistant Executive Director
04.10.03
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority
(HART)
Sharon Dent, Executive Director
Diana Carsey, Director of Planning
04.14.03
Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc.
Michael English, President
04.15.03
Tom Thomson, Transportation Services Director
04.15.03
Gena Torres
04.16.03
Annette DeLisle, President
Sharon Phillips, Project Manager, Consultant to Florida High
Speed Rail Commission
04.18.03
FDOT District Seven
Bob Clifford, Director of Planning
04.24.03
Tampa Downtown Partnership
Christine Burdick, President
Karen Simon, TMO Consultant
04.25.03
Tampa Port Authority
Ram Kancharla, Planning Director
04.26.03
Hillsborough County, Planning and Growth
Management
Hillsborough County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory
Committee
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
Florida High Speed Rail Authority
Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority
(THCEA)
Richard and Kim Markham, Channel District Council
Executive Committee
Pat McCue, Executive Director
Marty Stone, Planning Director
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center/
Tampa Museum of Art
Lorrin Shepard, Bill Fogarty, Michael Pocchiari (TBPAC)
and Lani Czyzewski, John Wren (TMOA)
Channel District Council
3
Specific Issues
Transit, pedestrian mobility, High Speed Rail, code
enforcement
04.22.03
04.29.03
Pedestrian mobility, transit, parking, redevelopment
opportunities
Downtown signalization, High Speed Rail, on-street
parking, signage, bus stops, surface street capacity, bus
access to interstate and Crosstown
Pedestrian/bicycle access and safety, connections to High
Speed Rail
Pedestrian mobility, Meridian Street, downtown interchange
Downtown bicycle access, parking, traffic calming, rail
transit
Special event parking, visitor access, truck traffic, signage
High Speed Rail station location, connection to
streetcar/local transit, conflict with Franklin Street reopening
Interstate, Downtown Master Plan, streetcar, parking,
surface roadway capacity, Riverwalk, ITS solutions
On-street parking, two-way streets, North Franklin, internal
transit circulator, pedestrian/bicycle access, Downtown
Master Plan, High Speed Rail, downtown signalization,
signage, gateway improvements
Truck traffic (Ybor), High Speed Rail, streetcar, signage,
connections to TIA
Meridian Street, streetcar, pedestrian and bicycle mobility,
redevelopment opportunities
05.08.03
Reversible lanes, Meridian Street, signage
05.16.03
Bus parking, patron parking, staging, pedestrian and bicycle
access to Arts District, transit, downtown interchange,
streetcar stops at Arts District
September 2, 2003
2.0
PROJECTS AND STUDIES
Through the interview process all projects and studies (both funded and planned) were identified
and discussed. Table 2-1 summarizes the information gained from the interviews related to
these projects. Figure 2-1 illustrates the location of the funded projects within the study area.
Figure 2-2 depicts the location of projects that are planned but currently not funded. These
figures include development projects, which are described in Section 2.5. Appendix C includes
maps and other excerpts from studies and projects identified by the stakeholders interviewed.
TABLE 2-1
ISSUES RELATED TO PROJECTS AND STUDIES
Project Name
Projects Under Construction
Lead Agency
I-275/I-4 Interchange Interim
Improvements
FDOT
I-4 Improvements
FDOT
Reversible Lanes
THCEA
Projects Funded Not Yet Under Construction
I-275 Improvements
FDOT
(LINKS 2 and 3)
Meridian Street
THCEA
Cultural Arts District
City of Tampa
Reconnection of North
Franklin Street
City of Tampa
Cruise Terminal #4
Riverwalk
(Several phases are planned)
City of Tampa
THCEA/City of Tampa ITS
Center and Hillsborough
County Traffic Management
Center
THCEA/
City of Tampa/
Hillsborough County
Stakeholder Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Capacity of surface streets in downtown
Maintenance of traffic/signage
Gateway improvements
Design conflicts with transit/High Speed Rail
Capacity of surface streets in downtown
Loss of 40th Street interchange will affect transit operations
Port and Channelside access
Buss rapid transit
Improvements may exclude light rail in corridor
• No comments conveyed by stakeholders
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Redevelopment opportunities
Pedestrian/bicycle facilities
Access to Marion Transit Center
Capacity of surface streets downtown
Pedestrian access to Cultural Arts District
Ashley Drive pedestrian barrier
Transit connection needed
Vehicle access on North Franklin Street
Improved downtown access
Parking and access
Transit connection
Pedestrian access between Cultural Arts District and
Channel District
• Safety and aesthetics
• Riverfront is underutilized
• Downtown circulation during events
• Parking
• Traffic signal prioritization
4
September 2, 2003
TABLE 2-1 (Continued)
Project Name
Projects Planned Not Yet Funded
Crosstown Connector
(Partially funded)
High Speed Rail
Lead Agency
Stakeholder Issues
Hillsborough County
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hillsborough County
•
•
THCEA/
FDOT
Florida High Speed
Rail Authority/
FDOT
Streetcar Extension(s)
HART
Tampa Rail Project
Platt Street Moveable Bridge
Replacement
(Partially funded)
Columbus Drive Moveable
Bridge Replacement
(Partially funded)
HART
•
•
Arts District Boulevard
Concept (Ashley Drive)
City of Tampa
South Lee Roy Selmon
Expressway Widening
Studies and Plans
Downtown DRI Update
City of Tampa
East/West Two-Way Streets
City of Tampa
Intermodal Transportation Plan
THCEA
Tampa Heights Community
Plan
Tampa Heights
Civic Association
Traffic Simulation Model for
Downtown Tampa
FDOT
Kennedy Boulevard CMS
Study
Hillsborough County
MPO
Nebraska Avenue “Road Diet”
Concept
Hillsborough County
MPO
ITS Master Plan
Hillsborough County
MPO
•
•
•
Needs to provide all movements
Truck traffic diversion
Access to Cultural Arts District
Impact to historic structures
Relocations
Noise and vibration impacts
Intermodal connections
Alignment – access to Cultural Arts District
Future connection to High Speed Rail
Double track to improve speed
Coordination with CSX
Separated from traffic or not
Meridian Street improvements may exclude LRT in corridor
Retaining features of historical/architectural significance
Deteriorated conditions require shortterm maintenance and
mid-term replacement
Retaining features of historical/architectural significance
Deteriorated conditions require shortterm maintenance and
mid-term replacement
Future capacity restraints on Ashley Drive
Ashley Drive currently used as “cut through” from I-275 to
Expressway
Possible conflict with streetcar extension
Redesign interface with two-way streets
Gateway element
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
No comments conveyed by stakeholders
Pedestrian safety
Support of land use changes
Rail lines
Travel speed
No comments conveyed by stakeholders
Tampa and Florida Streets as two-way streets
Columbus Drive a transit emphasis corridor
Streetcar extension
• Use of a parking-based analysis model
• City of Tampa should take leading role in obtaining
easements along road
• Funded projects in TIP should be related to study
recommendations
• Traffic calming
• Code enforcement on property renovation
• Improve public transit in area
• Intersection of Nebraska Avenue and Columbus Drive
critical for transit operations
• Need more variable message boards
• There should be one ITS Center for multiple jurisdictions
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September 2, 2003
TABLE 2-1 (Continued)
Project Name
Transit Development Plan
(2004-2013)
South Lee Roy Selmon
Expressway Off-Ramp at Cass
Street
Lead Agency
HART
THCEA
Tampa Greenways and Trails
City of Tampa
Master Plan
Downtown Transit Linkages
HART
Report
Selected Local Development Projects
Stetson Law School
Stetson University
Florida Second District Court
Florida District Court
of Appeals Offices and Law
of Appeals
Library
12th Street Yard
City of Tampa
Redevelopment
Bank of America
Private Developer
Redevelopment Project
Pinnacle Project
Private Developer
Hillsborough River Realty
Private Developer
Stakeholder Issues
• Pedestrian-friendly environment
• Streetcar extension
• Traffic calming around the Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center
• Light rail line from downtown to South Howard (SoHo) area
• Trails affecting signage improvements
• Hazardous materials located on site
FDOT = Florida Department of Transportation
THCEA = Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority
HART = Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
6
September 2, 2003
For the purpose of this report and the discussion below, cooperating agencies are defined as
agencies and/or governmental bodies with regulatory, policy, or funding authority over a project.
The commenting agencies are those interviewed stakeholders who commented on a given
project.
2.1
Projects Under Construction
I-275/I-4 Interchange Interim Improvements
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
is making capacity and safety improvements to the
I-275/I-4 interchange in downtown Tampa that
involve work on I-275 from the Hillsborough
River north to Floribraska Avenue and on I-4 from
west of 19th Street into the interchange. These
improvements will increase all existing
movements to four through-lanes in each direction.
The existing flyover ramp from southbound I-275
to eastbound I-4 will be relocated from the left side
of the mainline to the right side of the mainline of
I-4 in an effort to reduce weaving movements.
Access to and from downtown will be affected in
two ways. First, the Ashley Drive entrance ramp
onto northbound I-275 will be extended east as an
auxiliary lane to eastbound I-4. Second, inbound
downtown trips will be physically separated from
through trips by a local auxiliary exit ramp system.
I-275/I-4 Interchange Interim Improvements
Estimated Completion Date: Spring 2006
Lead Agency:
Florida Department of Transportation
Cooperating Agencies:
•
Federal Highway Administration
•
City of Tampa
•
HART
Commenting Agencies:
• City of Tampa Transportation
• Tampa Downtown Partnership
• Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
• Tampa Museum of Art
• HART
• Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
• Hillsborough County Bicycle/
Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following comments were made regarding this project:
•
There are issues concerning the capacity of surface streets in the downtown to
handle the inbound and outbound traffic volume once the interchange is
complete. Tampa Street, Florida Avenue, and Ashley Drive are heavily
utilized for inbound and outbound peak hour traffic. The intersection of
Ashley Drive and Kennedy Boulevard is overutilized.
•
Gateway improvements such as landscaping and other amenities should be
included as part of this project.
•
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Tampa Museum of Art
Both the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Tampa Museum of Art have
concerns with the construction phase of the improvements to the interchange
related to signage and maintenance of traffic. Concerns after construction
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September 2, 2003
include roadway capacity, traffic volume, and vehicle speed on Ashley Drive a major pedestrian barrier between the downtown core and the Cultural Arts
District. Interchange improvements should include an evaluation of access on
Jefferson and Pierce Streets as underutilized routes.
•
HART
The ultimate design of the I-275/I-4 interchange may conflict with the new
Marion Street Transit Center and the proposed High Speed Rail alignment and
station.
•
Increase signs on I-275 and I-4 directing visitors to the Ybor City Historic
District.
•
Hillsborough County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee
I-275/I-4 interchange improvements should help commuters shorten their
commute time and, therefore, could allow for a “calmer” downtown surface
street design/system.
Additionally, the Hillsborough County Bicycle/
Pedestrian Advisory Committee advocates urban trails in the right-of-way of
limited-access highways, as was built with the Suncoast Parkway.
I-4 Improvements
FDOT is currently completing the design for
improvements to I-4 from 14th Street to 50th
Street, a length of approximately 3.2 miles. This
project will widen this segment of I-4 from a fourlane highway to an eight-lane highway. The new
eight-lane roadway will be constructed to the
outside of the existing four lanes of I-4 to allow for
the maintenance of existing traffic. When
completed, I-4 traffic will be routed to the new
eight-lane facility and the existing four lanes will
be removed to create a median. The new median
area will be reserved for the future construction of
the ultimate I-4 configuration and could
accommodate either high-occupancy vehicles or
rail.
I-4 Improvements
Estimated Completion Date: Fall 2006
Lead Agency:
•
•
City of Tampa
•
HART
•
•
•
HART
Additionally, 19th Street, which currently passes under I-4, will be permanently closed as a
through street at I-4. Access under I-4 at 21st/22nd Streets will continue to remain open,
although the I-4 interchange will be relocated to 14th/15th Streets. New auxiliary roadways will
provide circulation between 14th/15th Streets and 21st/22nd Streets. I-4 access at 40th Street
will be relocated to 50th Street and Columbus Drive at 50th Street will be permanently realigned
to the south between 45th and 53rd Streets.
10
September 2, 2003
•
Ybor City Development Corporation and Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
I-4 is the primary high-volume roadway providing access to and from Ybor
City. The Ybor City Chamber of Commerce has been in discussions with
FDOT regarding the improvements to I-4 and the relocation of the main
access from 21st/22nd Streets to 14th/15th Streets. The increase in capacity
of this interchange will put additional strain on the existing local roadways,
which are already unable to accommodate the volumes of traffic exiting I-4,
especially during events. The benefit is a direct route to the primary parking
garage at 6th Avenue, between 15th/16th Streets.
The I-4 improvements will remove the 21st/22nd Street pedestrian barrier
between the commercial core of Ybor City and the residential areas by
replacing the existing interchange with one at 14th/15th Streets.
•
HART
The loss of access at the 40th Street interchange due to interstate
reconstruction will result in a significant issue for HART. The HART
Operations Center on 40th Street relies on easy access to the interstate in order
to get buses out to their designated routes. Loss of this access would result in
increased “deadhead” costs for HART operations. One option for HART is to
use Columbus Street to get buses on or off routes. Columbus Street, like other
surface arterials, limits the speed at which buses would be able to get to their
routes. Additional bus traffic on Columbus Street may require improvements
to intersections, such as Columbus Street and Nebraska Avenue, as buses
travel to Marion Street in downtown.
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes
Construction of the Tampa-Hillsborough County
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway
Expressway Authority’s (THCEA) reversible express
Reversible Lanes
lanes in the median of the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown
Expressway between Brandon and downtown Tampa
is currently under construction. It is anticipated to be
Lead Agency:
completed in the fall of 2005 with completion of the
Meridian Street project (discussed in Section 2.2).
From just west of the intersection of Town Center
Boulevard and the new Brandon Parkway, the
reversible lanes will be elevated over I-75. Between
Falkenburg Road and Palm River Road, the new lanes
will be at the same level as the existing Expressway,
allowing movement between the reversible facility
and the existing lanes. From 78th Street to downtown
Tampa, the new express lanes will be on a three-lane
bridge in the median. It will connect into downtown
along Meridian Street and terminate at Channelside
Drive.
11
•
•
City of Tampa
•
HART
•
City of Tampa Transportation
•
•
Hillsborough County
•
•
HART
September 2, 2003
During the AM peak, the bridge will be one-way from Brandon and I-75 directly to downtown
Tampa, more than doubling the Expressway’s current capacity. During the PM peak, the lanes
will be reversed for one-way operation in the opposite direction. The bridge will be for cars and
express buses only.
•
Once the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes project is
completed, the City of Tampa and THCEA signal operations centers will be
co-located.
•
The Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes project and
Meridian Street corridor improvements will be an enhancement to Port access
and Channelside access.
•
Hillsborough County
The Expressway’s elevated roadway project will dramatically affect flow into
and out of downtown. It will also affect growth in East Hillsborough County.
•
The Expressway improvements to Meridian Street may exclude development
of light rail transit in the corridor.
•
HART
Access from the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway reversible lanes to
the Marion Transit Center is an important consideration. HART plans include
the use of the express lanes as part of a “Bus Rapid Transit” service from
Brandon. Connections between the Crosstown Expressway reversible lanes
and the Marion Street Transit Parkway will need to occur as seamlessly as
possible in order to provide premium transit service. The extension of
Whiting Street to Meridian Street will be critical to this seamless connection.
2.2
Funded Projects Not Yet Under Construction
I-275 Improvements (LINKS 2 and 3) from the Hillsborough River to the Howard Frankland
Bridge
Improvements to I-275 will replace the existing interstate lanes with eight to ten lanes located to
the outside of the existing interstate facility between Westshore Boulevard and North Boulevard.
Transitions to the existing highway will include the widening of the Hillsborough River Bridge
to provide one additional lane and a ten-foot wide shoulder in each direction and widening of the
pavement between SR 60 and Westshore Boulevard. The northbound outer lanes will be
constructed to the south of the existing northbound lanes and the southbound outer lanes will be
located in approximately the same location as the existing I-275 southbound lanes.
12
September 2, 2003
Phase I (LINKS 2) of construction will build the
new northbound roadway system from SR 60 to the
Hillsborough River Bridge and the new
southbound roadway system from Dale Mabry
Highway to SR 60. Phase I also includes the
ramps that will connect the new lanes to the local
surface roadways. Traffic will be maintained on
the existing interstate system until this phase of
construction is complete.
Phase II (LINKS 3) of construction will use the
new northbound roadway system to accommodate
the northbound traffic, while the old northbound
interstate mainline and the southbound outer
roadways constructed in Phase I will carry
southbound traffic.
I-275 LINKS 2 and 3
Estimated Completion Dates:
LINKS 2 - 2006/LINKS 3 - 2010
Lead Agency:
•
•
City of Tampa
•
HART
•
Only general stakeholder comments about
this project
Once the southbound roadways are complete, southbound traffic will be rerouted from the old
northbound interstate mainline to the new southbound outer roadway system. The old
northbound lanes will be removed and that area will be maintained as a grassed median with the
possibility for rail accommodation in the future.
During the stakeholder interviews, there were only general discussions about this project.
Meridian Street
THCEA’s Meridian Street project will serve as the
“gateway” to and from downtown via the Lee Roy
Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes
project (see Section 2.1). The Meridian Street
project begins at the Reversible Lanes project and
terminates at Channelside Drive. The project
consists of six travel lanes and connects several
currently separated east-west roads in the Channel
District. These include Twiggs Street, Jackson
Street, and Whiting Street. The reconnection of
Whiting Street would require the relocation of the
Con Agra Flour Mill.
13
Meridian Street
Lead Agency:
•
•
City of Tampa
•
HART
•
City of Tampa Transportation
•
•
•
•
Hillsborough County
•
•
Hillsborough County Bicycle/
•
HART
September 2, 2003
•
Final design and construction plans are being completed for the southern
terminus of the Meridian Street improvements in conjunction with the Lee
Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes project.
•
The Meridian Street improvements will provide an opportunity to redevelop
the existing industrial/warehouse area to mixed use and residential, enhancing
the livability of that area of downtown. The reconnection of east-west streets
will improve the continuity of downtown for both development and the
pedestrian environment. However, there are concerns for pedestrian mobility
within the Meridian Street corridor.
Downtown continues to have challenges balancing the need for adequate
roadway capacity for event traffic generated by key downtown destinations
and the desire to create a safe, desirable pedestrian environment. While
dependence on the capacity provided by Florida Avenue, Tampa Street, and
Ashley Drive may be alleviated by the eventual reconnection of east-west
streets into the Channel District, this opportunity will not be realized soon
enough.
•
For the Meridian Street project, THCEA discussed the project with the
residents of the Channel District, but did not design a roadway that would
have been acceptable to residents. An acceptable design would have included
bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the roadway.
The extension of Whiting and Jackson Streets across the existing railroad
track to Meridian Street presents an opportunity for a clear pedestrian and
bicycle access way into downtown.
•
The Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Reversible Lanes project and
Meridian Street improvements will be an enhancement to Port access and
Channelside access.
•
Hillsborough County
East-west surface streets will be connected that are currently divided by the
old rail corridor, which will greatly expand access by providing new portals
into/out of the downtown core and Channelside.
•
Expressway improvements may exclude the development of light rail transit
in the corridor. Also, the choice to end/begin the elevated lanes at Meridian
Street may not have been the best alternative with respect to downtown
circulation. There should be a connection between the reversible lanes and
14
September 2, 2003
the southbound Expressway so that traffic destined for South Tampa does not
have to use surface streets to get to Bayshore Boulevard or MacDill Air Force
Base.
The Lafayette Viaduct is a barrier to downtown from the Channel District area
north of the aquarium. The Tampa Historic Streetcar Board encourages the
removal of the viaduct as a way to improve the visual connection between
downtown and Channelside as well as to improve the access to and potential
development of underutilized land parcels along Kennedy Boulevard.
It is important to understand that high speed corridors such as this are not
conducive to pedestrian access or safety.
•
The Meridian Street improvements were not designed for “through bikes.”
Bicycles must stop at each intersection. However, the Jackson and Whiting
Street connections provided by the Meridian Street corridor project should
improve the bicycle system.
•
HART
The THCEA plan for Meridian Street will deliver more people into the
downtown area but will also create additional strain on the existing surface
network.
The focal point of the Cultural Arts District is a
new 174,000 square-foot Tampa Museum of Art
along Ashley Drive to replace the existing
museum. Also included in the Cultural Arts
District Master Plan is a 50,000 square-foot
expansion of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center, a new 58,000 square-foot Tampa Bay
History Center, a new 56,000 square-foot
community arts center, a new 200+ unit residential
tower, and 20,000 square feet of related retail
space. Once the new museum is constructed, the
old museum will be removed and the newly
opened space along the Hillsborough River will
become a large riverfront green space.
Timeframe: Construction starts 2004
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
Cooperating Agencies (Advisory Role):
•
Tampa Museum of Art
•
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
•
•
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center/
Tampa Museum of Art
•
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following
comments were made regarding this project:
•
The establishment of the Cultural Arts District is critical to support positive
land use changes in downtown. The Riverwalk, parking, and access should be
considered the primary components of the Cultural Arts District Master Plan.
15
September 2, 2003
•
Ashley Drive is viewed as a physical and psychological barrier to the Cultural
Arts District and the riverfront. The utilization of Ashley Drive as a high
speed throughway for access and egress to I-275 greatly reduces bicycle and
pedestrian travel to the Cultural Arts District. A reduction of land use
intensities and roadway volumes as one approaches the west side of
downtown would create a sense of arrival and increase bicycle and pedestrian
use.
Transit opportunities in the northerly extension of the streetcar with a
connection to the Cultural Arts District are critical. A more comprehensive
internal trolley system with obvious, consistent stops and scheduling would be
of great benefit.
The Cultural Arts District Plan includes a common-use arrival plaza (which
the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center desperately needs) by turning Tyler
Street into a dead-end street in front of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center. Gasparilla Street (under the Poe Garage) could become the other part
of the one-way pair if Tyler Street no longer serves that role.
•
Tourism in Ybor City would benefit from a transit connection to downtown
activities such as the Cultural Arts District. The streetcar could be the
connection.
Reconnection of North Franklin Street
This project entails reopening Franklin Street
between Fortune and Scott Streets through the
current parking lot of the State office building.
This would provide transportation access to the
area immediately north of downtown including the
new Stetson Law School and the proposed Bank of
America residential development.
•
City of Tampa
Reconnection of North Franklin Street
Estimated Completion Date: 2005
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
N/A
•
City of Tampa
•
•
Tampa Heights/VM Ybor Neighborhood
Associations
•
The City is negotiating with the
FDOT to obtain the right-ofway to reopen Franklin Street. Re-creating a through street is estimated to
cost $1.6 million, not including any accommodations that might be needed for
stormwater runoff. The road alignment would be adjacent to the State office
building through what is currently the parking lot.
This improvement would have minimal impact on traffic flow. However, it
would be more significant to downtown circulation if the streetcar goes here.
16
September 2, 2003
•
Vehicle access on Franklin Street from the north end of downtown is critical
to support positive land use changes in downtown. The interchange
reconstruction should not prevent the re-opening of Franklin Street.
•
Tampa Heights/VM Ybor Neighborhood Associations
North Franklin Street should be reconnected with Franklin Street in
downtown. Revitalizing North Franklin Street is a priority of the Tampa
Heights Community Plan.
•
High Speed Rail Alternative A1 may come close enough to Franklin Street to
preclude its re-opening. This area is a proposed location for the high speed
rail terminal serving Tampa. The conceptual plan would replace the State
office building with a terminal building.
Cruise Terminal #4
As part of the Port of Tampa’s Cruise Ship
Cruise Terminal #4
facility improvements, the Port is proposing an
Estimated Completion Date: TBD
additional cruise ship terminal. Terminal #4
will be constructed just north of the Florida
Lead Agency:
Aquarium and just south of the Port of Tampa
Authority headquarters on Channelside Drive.
The new terminal will provide additional
•
growth opportunity for the cruise industry.
•
City of Tampa
Additional passengers will also increase the
need for enhanced access to downtown Tampa
•
and Ybor City. The ongoing Meridian Street
•
corridor improvements will provide easier
•
access to and from this new terminal and
downtown. Also, the existing streetcar system
provides cruise passengers with a unique and
direct connection to the Ybor City entertainment district.
•
About half of cruise passengers fly into Tampa, about half drive. Of those
flying in, some take a shuttle from Tampa International Airport (TIA) to the
Port, and some rent a car. Those who rent cars typically leave the car for
several days at the Port parking deck. This suggests the potential importance
of a transit connection between TIA and the Port. Developing an airport
security screen at the Port is important so that passengers can be pre-screened
and then be transported directly to their flights. This would prevent traffic
jams at the airport’s security screen when an entire cruise ship comes in.
17
September 2, 2003
Improvements in signage are very important. 800,000 cruise passengers come
to the Port annually and many need direction. The Port has a signage master
plan and is looking to the City, County, and State to help with funding.
•
The residents feel that they pay for the Port’s access problems in terms of
unwarranted traffic.
•
The double-tracking of the streetcar would solve some of the existing streetcar
“congestion problems”…which will be further problematic with an increase in
cruise passengers.
Riverwalk
The Riverwalk is a partially completed pedestrian
walkway fronting on the Hillsborough River and
Garrison Channel. It is proposed to extend from
the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center to
Channelside. Completed segments include the
waterfront of Curtis-Hixon Park, the Tampa
Museum of Art, the Convention Center, and the
Marriott Waterside Hotel.
Presently, another
segment is being designed as a part of Fort
Brooke/Cotanchobee Park, located to the south of
the St. Pete Times Forum. Three additional phases
are planned to complete the Riverwalk between the
Tampa Museum of Art and Beneficial Boulevard.
•
Riverwalk
Estimated Completion Date: Summer 2004
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
City of Tampa Parks and Recreation
Department
•
•
•
•
Tampa Museum of Art
•
•
Associations
•
Tampa Bay Performing Arts
Center and Tampa Museum of Art
The Riverwalk is a significant amenity, and funding its completion is
important. Water access to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (boat
slips) would also be an asset.
•
The Riverwalk will help connect the Channel District with the Cultural Arts
District.
•
The Tampa Heights/VM Ybor Neighborhood Associations have been
coordinating with the Mayor’s Greenways & Trails program and support
bicycle/pedestrian routes along Central Avenue, Ola Avenue, and along the
18
September 2, 2003
east side of the Hillsborough River up to Beneficial Boulevard. A high
standard of safety and aesthetics is needed in order for people to feel
comfortable walking and bicycling.
•
The riverfront is underutilized. The Riverwalk will help focus activity on the
river as an important downtown amenity.
THCEA/City of Tampa ITS Center and Hillsborough County Traffic Management Center
In conjunction with the Reversible Lanes and
Meridian Street projects, the THCEA plans to
co-locate its Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS) functions with the City of Tampa in a
shared facility. To be located in a common
building just east of Meridian Street and on the
north side of Twiggs Street, the shared center
will operate the gates to the reversible lanes,
many traffic signals, and variable message boards
that provide real-time information to motorists.
THCEA/City of Tampa ITS Center
and Hillsborough County Traffic
Management Center
Lead Agencies:
City of Tampa
Hillsborough County
•
Hillsborough County currently houses a Traffic
•
Hillsborough County
Management Center in the County Center
•
building downtown, where the County
•
HART
coordinates and manages the operation of many
•
of its traffic signals. The center includes video
surveillance and monitoring of roadway and is
connected to approximately 80 percent of the County’s traffic signals. The County is in the
process of relocating these functions to combine its Traffic Engineering and Traffic Operations
departments. Several locations for the new facility are being considered around the County.
A fiber link currently connects the Hillsborough County Traffic Management Center with the
City of Tampa, FDOT, and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Traffic Management Centers to share
data. When the Hillsborough County Traffic Management Center is relocated, fiber cable will
need to be installed to connect the centers.
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following comments were made regarding these projects:
•
HART
HART is implementing real-time bus tracking using a Federal grant to install
global positioning systems technology on its buses. HART would like to
work with other local transportation agencies to facilitate the movement of
buses through signalized intersections in selected transit-emphasis corridors.
HART also is interested in cooperating to improve downtown circulation
during events using its circulator shuttles to connect parking garages with
major destinations supported by variable message boards that direct drivers to
available parking spaces in garages on a real-time basis.
19
September 2, 2003
•
Smart technology systems for parking garages and parking meters should be
implemented downtown as part of a comprehensive parking plan.
•
Hillsborough County
Better coordination is needed between the City of Tampa, THCEA, and
Hillsborough County regarding ITS operations. Also, the County is receptive
to working on traffic signal prioritization for buses in the Lee Roy Selmon
Crosstown, New Tampa, and I-75 corridors.
•
FDOT is implementing ITS technologies along the interstate as part of today’s
and future construction projects. FDOT is building a shared ITS Center in
partnership with the FHP on property adjacent to the District 7 office on
McKinley Boulevard.
From the point of view of managing traffic
emergencies, FDOT would prefer to see the several planned ITS Centers
(THCEA, City of Tampa, FDOT/FHP, and Hillsborough County) co-located
into a single location for efficiency. FDOT is receptive to facilitating express
bus service in selected corridors such as downtown to USF/New Tampa on
Nebraska or Florida Avenues or downtown to the east with traffic signal
prioritization.
2.3
Planned Projects Not Yet Funded
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Connector (I-4)
The I-4/Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway
Connector (the Connector) is being designed to
accommodate heavy trucks to/from the Port of
Tampa. For trucks northbound from the Port on
22nd Street wishing to access I-4 eastbound, this
alternative would include an exclusive truck lane
added to the existing 22nd Street on-ramp loop to
the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway
eastbound.
Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown
Expressway Connector (I-4)
Lead Agencies:
•
•
City of Tampa
•
•
Hillsborough County
The truck lane would be physically separated
from the on-ramp lane to the Expressway
•
Hillsborough County
•
mainline. It would continue as a separated
•
outside lane along the eastbound Expressway to
east of 26th Street, where it would enter the
Connector flyover bridge. This dedicated truck
lane accommodation would facilitate the movement of heavy trucks through the Connector by
separating them from auto traffic in that critical area along the Expressway between the 22nd
Street on-ramp and the general travel lanes.
20
September 2, 2003
In order to accommodate westbound trucks on I-4 wishing to access 22nd Street southbound and
the Port, the southbound leg of the Connector would split into two ramps. One ramp would be
exclusively for traffic exiting at 22nd Street. That traffic would never enter the Expressway
mainline flow, but would merge with traffic on the off-ramp carrying westbound traffic to 22nd
Street. It would, therefore, have no impact on Expressway mainline operations.
Traffic on the southbound leg of the Connector wishing to enter the Expressway mainline
westbound (i.e., not bound for the Port), would do so via a general travel lane. Electronic toll
collection on the Connector southbound leg would be accomplished at a location on this ramp.
This would ensure that all traffic entering the Expressway mainline at this location would be
tolled; traffic exiting at 22nd Street (comprising mostly Port-bound trucks) would not be tolled.
•
Hillsborough County
The I-4/Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Connector is important and
needs to be implemented with all movements provided to/from I-4.
•
Ybor City Development Corporation and Ybor City Chamber of Commerce
The I-4 Connector to the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway would
divert truck traffic out of the residential and historic Ybor District.
High Speed Rail
The Florida High Speed Rail Authority is
High Speed Rail
considering two alignments for the TampaOrlando line into downtown Tampa. The project
Lead Agencies:
anticipates 12 to 14 trips per day between Tampa
and Orlando with a carrying capacity of 250
passengers per train. Alignment A2 uses the
•
existing CSX line to enter downtown, then
•
Hillsborough County
proceeds westward past Union Station on Cass
•
City of Tampa
Street, turns northwest at Marion Street, and
terminates just west of the Marion Transit Center.
•
Alignment A1 uses the south side of the I-4
•
HART
corridor to enter downtown, following the south
•
side of the I-275/I-4 interchange, then connects to
•
Hillsborough County
the East Laurel Street corridor and terminates just
west of the existing Marion Transit Center.
Alignment A2 has more impact on historic properties and low-income housing in the downtown
area; therefore, Alignment A1 is the least impactive based on the studies completed to date.
Both alignments are grade separated, even at the proposed downtown High Speed Rail station,
which will minimize impact on surface street mobility. The viable High Speed Rail station
location is in the vicinity of the old jail or the State office building. A parking structure will be
provided at the station site. Later phases of the project will include connections to Westshore
and Pinellas County.
21
September 2, 2003
•
The Ybor City Development Corporation is concerned that the possible High
Speed Rail alignments are in proximity to historic structures such as the
German-American Club that houses City offices including the Ybor City
Development Corporation.
Possible residential relocations, noise and
vibration, and impacts to historic structures are the Ybor City Development
Corporation’s highest concerns over a High Speed Rail alignment that would
parallel the I-4 corridor.
•
HART
The High Speed Rail station and the Marion Transit Center may be adjacent to
each other. The High Speed Rail proposal may require closing Laurel Street
between Marion Street and Florida Avenue, depending on the location of the
station. This may or may not affect access to the Cultural Arts District area.
•
If the High Speed Rail project were implemented, then an extension of the
streetcar to the High Speed Rail station would provide obvious intermodal
connections.
•
Hillsborough County
High Speed Rail will be elevated and the station could be designed to allow
Franklin Street to stay open.
The second phase of the streetcar system will extend
the streetcar line north from the current terminus
point at the Southern Transportation Plaza near the
Marriott Waterside hotel. Key downtown agencies
and organizations will be part of a collaborative
group that determines the potential streetcar
alignments from the Southern Transportation Plaza
to the Cultural Arts District/Franklin Street. Phase
Three extends the system northward underneath
I-275 into the Tampa Heights neighborhood and
eastward from there to Ybor City. Phase Four
connects the Cultural Arts District southwest to Hyde
Park and the SoHo District.
22
Lead Agency:
HART
•
City of Tampa
•
•
The Planning Commission
•
City of Tampa
•
•
Florida High Speed Rail
•
Associations
•
•
September 2, 2003
The following considerations will be addressed in the Environmental Assessment:
•
Should the streetcar be separated from traffic within the Ashley Drive
alignment?
•
Should the streetcar run through the Franklin Street Esplanade?
•
Should the streetcar run along the river north of Polk Street?
•
The Planning Commission envisioned transit opportunities in the northerly
and easterly extensions of the streetcar. The Planning Commission endorsed
the Tampa Heights Community Plan, which supports extending the streetcar
on Franklin Street. Use of Ashley Drive as a connection to the Cultural Arts
District over the use of Franklin Street was suggested by staff.
•
City of Tampa
Coordination with CSXT is important. Zack Street may be an alternative to
Polk Street (where the CSXT line is located) to provide a westerly connection
from Franklin Street to the Cultural Arts District.
•
The extension of the streetcar north past the Cultural Arts District is critical to
support positive land use changes in downtown. Ridership would better be
served on the Ashley Drive alignment where there are tourist destinations.
There should be strong pedestrian connections between Franklin Street and
Ashley Drive.
•
HART could provide connectivity from the High Speed Rail to the streetcar
through use of a shuttle or extension of the streetcar system to north
downtown.
•
The neighborhoods are emphatic about a streetcar connection to Tampa
Heights and VM Ybor. The Tampa Heights Community Plan calls for the
streetcar extension on Franklin Street.
•
There is a need to accelerate the streetcar to make it more practical…too slow!
It works for tourists, but not for downtown workers. The streetcar is a
valuable connection for tourists to get to Ybor City. In terms of extending the
23
September 2, 2003
streetcar, it is unknown if tourists will want to go to the Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center, but a transit connection to a High Speed Rail terminal
at the north end of downtown would be very desirable, improving cruise
passenger access between the Port and Orlando.
•
The streetcar extension should be as proximate as possible to the Cultural Arts
District. The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the Tampa Museum of
Art should have streetcar stops.
Tampa Rail Project
The Tampa Rail Project is a 20-mile light rail transit
system that would connect downtown to the
University of South Florida, Westshore business
district, and SoHo/Hyde Park.
The proposed
downtown alignment is located within the existing
CSXT corridor on Polk Street from Union Station to
the Hillsborough River with a spur line on Franklin
Street from Polk Street to Kennedy Boulevard.
The project has completed the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Once a
local funding source is secured, HART may request
funds from the Federal Transit Administration to
advance the project through Final Design and
Construction.
Tampa Rail Project
Lead Agency:
HART
•
Federal Transit Administration
•
•
•
•
Meridian Street improvements may exclude the development of light rail
transit in the corridor.
•
Light rail transit through downtown would be a critical improvement for
downtown access. Rail vehicles should include bicycle racks.
24
September 2, 2003
Platt Street and Columbus Drive Moveable Bridge Replacements
Replacement of the Platt Street and Columbus
Drive Bridges are urgently needed due to the
severely deteriorated conditions and functionally
obsolete characteristics of the existing structures.
The bridges, originally built in 1926, have
exceeded their 50-year useful life design by 27
years. The proposed project would replace the
existing dual-leaf bascule bridges with new dualleaf bascule bridges that meet current standards
and design criteria.
Platt Street and Columbus Drive
Moveable Bridge Replacements
Lead Agency:
Hillsborough County
•
City of Tampa
•
•
•
Hillsborough County
The Platt Street Bridge provides a critical entrance
point to downtown and connects downtown to
South Tampa, Davis Islands, and MacDill Air
Force Base via Bayshore Boulevard.
•
Hillsborough County
Retaining features of historical and architectural significance in the design
will be important. The deteriorated conditions of the bridges require shortterm maintenance and mid-term replacement. If not implemented, access to
downtown is restricted.
Arts District Boulevard Concept (Ashley Drive)
Tampa’s new mayor has made the Cultural Arts
District a priority, and a key component is
enhancing Ashley Drive between Kennedy
Boulevard and I-275. Goals include calming
traffic in the corridor, increasing pedestrian safety
and mobility between the Cultural Arts District
and the rest of downtown, and improving
aesthetics with landscaping and other features.
Arts District Boulevard Concept
(Ashley Drive)
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
•
City of Tampa
•
•
•
Tampa Museum of Art
•
•
City staff is drafting a functional plan to reduce
the number of lanes from six to four, widen
medians and sidewalks, provide on-street parking
on both sides of most blocks, and provide curb
bulb-outs at crosswalks.
City staff is also
exploring funding to develop a more refined plan
that includes detailed roadway and landscape design. Thus far, $700,000 has been set aside.
In addition, the Parks Department has ordered palm trees to line the street.
25
September 2, 2003
There are several unresolved issues with this project, including:
•
There are traffic implications of reducing vehicle throughput on Ashley Drive.
If traffic is not able to move rapidly into downtown from the I-275 exit ramp,
there is potential for long traffic queues onto I-275 during the morning peak
traffic period. Traffic could be shifted to Tampa Street where the I-275 exit
ramp splits into Tampa Street and Ashley Drive. The City of Tampa owns the
road right-of-way there.
•
There are several implications for Tampa Street. The existing traffic queues
at the Ashley Drive/Kennedy Boulevard intersection could shift to the Tampa
Street/Kennedy Boulevard intersection.
•
Tampa Street has southbound lanes into which I-275 exit traffic merges. The
traffic in these lanes will be forced to the left lane and unable to make a right
turn at Tyler Street to cross the river.
These concerns will likely be examined in the near term as the FDOT’s contractor for the
downtown interchange plans to close Ashley Drive in the southbound direction, on a temporary
basis, for more than a year.
Another issue noted by City staff is how the Ashley Drive redesign interfaces with the proposal
to turn Madison, Twiggs, Zack, and Polk Streets into two-way streets.
•
Future traffic volumes on Ashley Drive are forecast to be dramatically higher
than today’s 30,000+/- vehicles per day. FDOT is concerned about AM peak
traffic impacting the interstate if Ashley Drive is converted to four lanes.
FDOT’s Tampa Interstate Study proposes another access point for the west
side of downtown via interstate ramps at North Boulevard. Conceivably, this
could supplement the Ashley Drive access; however, this project is not funded
within the 20-year long-range planning horizon and crossing the river from
North Boulevard to downtown could still be a challenge.
•
The narrowing of Ashley Drive is one of the Partnership Transportation
Committee’s top three transportation priorities. Ashley Drive is an important
gateway into downtown. There should be a gateway element to identify this
entrance for traffic coming into downtown from I-275. This should be
considered for inclusion in FDOT’s interchange construction project.
26
September 2, 2003
•
Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and other
Cultural Arts District Stakeholders
The fact that Ashley Drive is used as a throughway makes it a barrier to
pedestrians and isolates the Arts District from the rest of downtown. For
example, Ashley Drive is used as a through-corridor by motorists driving from
the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway to I-275.
Driver behavior should be changed so that people do not drive down Ashley
Drive at 45-50 miles per hour. Landscaping and traffic calming should be
considered to create a sense of arrival. We need a gateway marker, street
trees, and squaring the corners at intersections so that drivers have to really
slow down to negotiate a right turn.
Also, cars exiting I-275 take Ashley Drive rather than Tampa Street most of
the time because of the way the split is configured. The split should be
redesigned and signage should direct tourists trying to get to the Port, the
Aquarium, and the St. Pete Times Forum to take roads other than Ashley
Drive. Traffic could be directed to the underutilized north-south pair at the
east end of downtown, including Jefferson/Pierce Streets.
Some landscaping is currently planned to be installed near the Tampa
Museum of Art and the downtown library. The Tampa Museum of Art does
not have final plans yet for the landscaping in front of its new building (which
will be much closer to the street than the existing building) but will comply
with City guidelines. The Tampa Museum of Art also plans a canopy
extending about halfway over the street, 100 feet in the air. The downtown
library is preparing a three-phased landscape plan with fencing and gates for
the garage and annex.
•
Tampa Museum of Art
When the new Art Museum is built, the existing tour bus drop-off area on the
Zack Street extension will be removed to accommodate a public park on the
river. The new bus drop-off will be on the west side of Ashley Drive, with
space for six tour buses to queue. Thus, there will not be space for on-street
parking in the two blocks immediately in front of the Art Museum.
•
The Cultural Arts District Plan includes a common-use arrival plaza (which
the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center desperately needs) by turning Tyler
Street into a dead-end street in front of the Center. Gasparilla Street (under
the Poe Garage) could become the other part of the one-way pair if Tyler
Street no longer serves that role.
27
September 2, 2003
Making the Arts District more pedestrian-friendly is key in providing
adequate parking for Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center patrons. Most
patrons are only willing to walk about one- half block. If a two-block walk
were less intimidating, patrons would have many more parking options.
•
Ashley Drive is one of the possible locations for the extension of the streetcar
north to the Arts District. It is not yet decided whether the streetcar will
operate in mixed traffic or in a through-corridor separated from other vehicles.
The location and configuration of the extension will be explored further in an
Environmental Assessment, which is scheduled to begin in the summer.
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Widening
The THCEA is currently in the preliminary
planning and conceptual engineering phase of
widening the southern portion of the Lee Roy
Selmon Crosstown Expressway from four to six
lanes. The project boundaries are the southern
terminus of the Expressway at Gandy Boulevard
and the toll plaza near Willow Avenue.
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown
Expressway Widening
Lead Agency:
•
City of Tampa
•
According to THCEA staff, the expansion project
•
Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway
is likely to increase traffic volumes at the existing
Authority
off-ramp at Florida Avenue/Morgan Street. This
could create traffic back-ups onto the eastbound
through lanes of the Expressway. A possible solution is to develop a second access point into
downtown from the southern portion of the Expressway.
There were no comments made about this project.
2.4
Studies/Plans
Downtown DRI Update
The City of Tampa will be updating the traffic
components of the existing downtown DRI to
conform to many of the new destinations in the
downtown area (e.g. St. Pete Times Forum,
Cultural Arts District).
Downtown DRI Update
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
•
Florida Department of Community Affairs
•
None
28
September 2, 2003
East-West Two-Way Streets
The primary purpose of converting one-way
streets to two-way streets is to improve access
to retail/commercial uses along streets and to
make it easier for visitors to circulate around
the Central Business District (CBD). The City
of Tampa Transportation Division completed
an initial study to determine which downtown
one-way streets could feasibly be converted to
two-way streets. The study recommended four
east-west streets including Madison, Twiggs,
Zack, and Polk Streets for conversion. The
estimated cost for converting the four streets
is $2.5 to $3 million. The largest part of the
expense is to change the traffic signal heads at
16 intersections.
East-West Two-Way Streets
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
N/A
•
•
City of Tampa
•
•
•
Tampa Heights Civic Association
The City of Tampa also evaluated Florida Avenue and Tampa Street, but are concerned that
these conversions could lose 50 percent of the traffic capacity due to the increased traffic conflict
points at full-movement intersections. This could also increase traffic accidents.
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following comments were made regarding this proposal:
•
The conversion of some existing one-way streets to two-way streets is critical
to support positive land use changes in downtown. The conversion should be
coordinated with access to the Arts District facilities. More on-street parking
in the north end of downtown to support redevelopment is needed.
•
City of Tampa
The CSXT line on Polk Street complicates converting that street to a two-way
street and may prohibit standard turn lanes. It is still not clear how the
conversion will interface with changes to Ashley Drive. This needs to be
evaluated further after plans for the Ashley Drive reconfiguration and access
points to the Cultural Arts District attractions (Tampa Museum of Art, History
Museum, possible residential) become more solid.
•
A safe and comfortable pedestrian environment is important for the streetcar
and other purposes. There is a trade-off between circulation and livability.
The higher speed traffic on one-way pairs is good for people passing through
but not good for people getting on and off the road, people who own property
along the road, or for cyclists or pedestrians. Traffic on Florida Avenue and
Tampa Street travels too fast. We should be working towards a more
balanced, multi-modal system downtown.
29
September 2, 2003
•
Vehicles on Florida Avenue and Tampa Street travel too fast. High speeds do
not support residential redevelopment. They also create more dangerous
accidents. Fatality rates climb dramatically when you compare roads with
average speeds of 25 mph, 35 mph, and 45 mph. This is of particular concern
to pedestrians and cyclists, who will be on the losing end of any conflict with
a car. Our pedestrian and bicycle fatality rates in Tampa are among the
highest in the country.
•
Florida Avenue and Tampa Street should be two-way streets. Three extrawide lanes are not needed except during peak hours. The Tampa Heights
Civic Association has examined the opportunity to convert Florida Avenue
and Tampa Street from one-way to two-way streets north of I-275, while
maintaining the current curb-to-curb right-of-way. The Association proposes
that each of these streets maintain two lanes in the current direction and
change the remainder of the right-of-way to one-way in the opposite direction,
while adding a landscaped median.
Reinvigorating the neighborhood centers or nodes at the Florida Avenue/
Palm Avenue and Florida Avenue/Columbus Drive intersections is a priority
of the adopted Tampa Heights Plan. The one-way streets are bad for retail
establishments and neighborhoods. Two-way streets in the area will benefit
local business development in addition to increasing the streetscape.
The Intermodal Transportation Plan was developed
by the Port Authority to promote a seamless road
and rail system for goods and passengers in the
Tampa Port area.
This will allow the Port
Authority to efficiently move the goods and
passengers to and from the Port docks maintaining
and expanding its role in international trade and
generating a regional economic impact of over
$10 billion. The recommendations include traffic
operations and safety improvements, off-port
roadway
improvements,
and
corridor
improvements.
30
Lead Agency:
•
•
Hillsborough MPO
•
City of Tampa
•
None
September 2, 2003
Tampa Heights Community Plan
The Tampa Heights Community Plan describes a
Tampa Heights Community Plan
vision of the Tampa Heights community as a
Lead Agency:
mixed-income, multi-use neighborhood centrally
located in the City with easy access to downtown.
The designated town center and a secondary
•
“Recreational/Social” center are located between
the intersections of Tampa Street and Florida
Avenue, recognizing the connection between the
•
transportation system and the improvement of the
•
HART
•
neighborhood’s economic base. The plan returns
Tampa Street and Florida Avenue to two-way
•
streets. The extension of the streetcar connects to
Tampa Heights on Franklin Street, passing through
the “Recreational/Social” Activity Center at
Columbus Drive. The Plan includes the Tampa Heights Greenway within the rights-of-way
along the west side of I-275 north to Robles Park.
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following comments were made regarding the plan:
•
The Tampa Heights Community Plan has two major components that may
have an impact on downtown access - returning Tampa Street and Florida
Avenue to two-way operations and redevelopment of community/civic
centers.
•
HART
HART is coordinating with the Tampa Heights Neighborhood Association
regarding using Columbus Drive as a transit emphasis corridor. Currently,
bus service at Nebraska Avenue and Columbus Drive is difficult. Buses
cannot make a turn at this intersection due to rutting and the crown profile of
the roadways.
•
The Hillsborough County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee supports
converting Tampa Street to a two-way street per the neighborhoods plan.
•
The extension of the streetcar into Tampa Heights is a critical part of the
transportation plan for the area. The Tampa Heights Civic Association views
the economic development impact of the streetcar as a key catalyst in
changing the face of Tampa Heights.
31
September 2, 2003
Traffic Simulation Model for the Downtown Tampa Area
The purpose of this project is to develop a tool that
will enable FDOT, the Hillsborough County MPO,
and the local governments to easily assess the
impacts that proposed initiatives may have on the
traffic patterns and circulation in downtown
Tampa. It will also enable planners to assess how
various combinations of initiatives function
together. The study is planned to begin in late
summer 2003.
comments were made regarding the plan:
•
Traffic Simulation Model for the
Downtown Tampa Area
Lead Agency:
•
City of Tampa
•
Authority
•
•
City of Tampa
•
Authority
City of Tampa and the TampaHillsborough County
Expressway Authority
Both the City of Tampa and the THCEA prefer a parking-based analysis
model that ties in with FSUTMS for this analysis.
Kennedy Boulevard CMS Study
The Hillsborough County MPO recently
completed a Congestion Management System
(CMS) study of the Kennedy Boulevard corridor
from Memorial Highway to Ashley Drive. The
study focused on ways to reduce congestion and
improve mobility short of a major widening. It
also reopened a decade-old discussion on the
street’s potential to be a gateway boulevard for the
City.
Kennedy Boulevard CMS Study
Lead Agency:
•
City of Tampa
•
•
HART
•
The study recommends specific improvements at the most congested and the most accidentprone intersections, such as Dale Mabry Highway, Grady Avenue, and Howard and Armenia
Avenues. It also recommends new express bus service between the Westshore Business District
and downtown at rush hour and bicycle routes on parallel streets to the immediate north and
south of Kennedy Boulevard. Gaps in the corridor’s network of sidewalks and bus shelters can
be filled based on the greatest need using the study’s thorough inventory. Finally, the study
recommends streetscaping with trees, lights, and street furniture using a historic look at the
downtown end of the corridor and a more contemporary look west of Henderson Boulevard.
32
September 2, 2003
•
The City of Tampa should take a lead role on obtaining easements from
property owners along the road to implement the recommended
improvements. Also, the MPO’s choice of projects to be funded in the
Transportation Improvement Program should be related to study
recommendations.
Nebraska Avenue “Road Diet” Concept
In November 2001, the Hillsborough County
MPO Board recommended Nebraska Avenue for
the types of improvements described in the
updated FDOT Plans Preparation Manual,
Chapter 21 “Transportation Designs for Livable
Communities.” In February 2002, the MPO
requested that the staffs of the City of Tampa
Transportation Division, FDOT, and MPO meet
to discuss re-striping the road to make it more
livable. Nebraska Avenue is a US highway under
the jurisdiction of FDOT.
Nebraska Avenue “Road Diet” Concept
Lead Agency:
•
City of Tampa
•
•
HART
•
VM Ybor Neighborhood Association
•
•
HART
Improving conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists,
transit users, and motorists and enhancing the livability of the corridor to complement
redevelopment was identified as a priority for Nebraska Avenue between Kennedy Boulevard
and Hillsborough Avenue for the following reasons:
•
There is significant bicycle and pedestrian activity there already;
•
This corridor is in the top five priorities countywide for the Hillsborough
County Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee;
•
Bus frequency and ridership are consistently among the very highest of any
corridor in the County;
•
This corridor is the top focus for Community Development Block Grant
redevelopment efforts;
•
The existing road cross section is sub-standard; and
•
The FDOT has identified $9 million for resurfacing the road in 2005, at which
time it will have to be re-striped.
The concept developed by the MPO reduces the four-lane roadway to two lanes with center turnlanes and provides signed and striped bicycle lanes, pedestrian crosswalks and center refuges,
and bus pull-off areas at stops. Longer-term improvements could include traffic calming
features, center islands, and landscaping.
33
September 2, 2003
Of the stakeholders interviewed, the following comments were made:
•
VM Ybor Neighborhood Association
The VM Ybor Neighborhood Association is working with the Community
Development Block Grant on code enforcement and on renovating some
properties along this corridor. The street itself desperately needs attention,
such as re-working the curbs and medians, burying power lines, and
landscaping. Nebraska Avenue, Florida Avenue, and Tampa Street should not
be treated as regional roads; the interstate plays that role. Making a street
more livable supports redevelopment. We are willing to trade-off some
greater congestion for re-development.
•
FDOT recognizes that livability is a goal for downtown. If downtown is
congested, people will live elsewhere. Improving public transit opportunities
to downtown is a good idea, for example, by cultivating busways on Nebraska
or Florida Avenues.
•
HART
Nebraska Avenue, along with Florida Avenue and Columbus Drive, is a major
public transit route into and out of downtown. The intersection of Nebraska
Avenue and Columbus Drive may become even more critical when FDOT
closes the interchange at 40th Street where HART buses currently access I-4;
buses may be re-routed to Columbus Drive for their trip to downtown.
ITS Master Plan
In partnership with local transportation
departments, the Hillsborough County MPO is
developing an Intelligent Transportation Systems
(ITS) Master Plan for the County. The plan will
identify goals for the area, inventory existing and
planned deployments of ITS technology, and
develop a local architecture and implementation
plan. The ITS Master Plan will serve as a guide
to the MPO in allocating Federal and State funds
to ITS projects.
ITS Master Plan
Lead Agency:
•
City of Tampa
•
Hillsborough County
•
•
Enforcement Agencies
•
HART
•
•
•
34
September 2, 2003
•
Additional Variable Message Boards (VMBs) should be added to the Ybor
City area. Two of these radio-controlled permanent signs are currently
located at the edge of Ybor. These signs are very helpful in directing traffic
around the area and are supported by the City of Tampa Transportation
Division.
•
One ITS Center that includes THCEA, City of Tampa, Hillsborough County,
FDOT, and FHP would be more efficient, especially with emergency
management.
The identification of corridors appropriate for ITS strategies is needed. An
ITS Plan that ties the Interstate ITS strategies with other local corridor
strategies is needed.
Transit Development Plan (2004 - 2013)
The HART Transit Development Plan for 2004
through 2013 describes transit services and
projects that are planned and how they will be
funded. The plan contemplates two scenarios,
Status Quo and Growth.
The Status Quo Scenario includes no major
growth but also no major cuts in bus service for
the next 10 years, assuming existing revenues
continue to keep pace with inflation. Minor
adjustments to bus service – for example, small
service improvements in growing areas balanced
by savings or efficiencies to other areas in the
system, could continue to be made.
Transit Development Plan (2004 - 2013)
Lead Agency:
HART
•
•
•
•
City of Tampa
•
Hillsborough County
•
None
The Growth Scenario includes bus service improvements such as new routes, longer hours, and
more frequent buses, amounting to a 160 percent +/- increase in bus service throughout the
County. Because public transportation typically is only partially funded by rider fares, a new
source of revenue would be needed. The plan contemplates a new revenue stream consistent
with the local Long Range Transportation Plan and equivalent to about a half-cent sales tax, an
increase that would have to be approved by County voters in a referendum.
The Growth Scenario includes the following bus service improvements for downtown Tampa:
•
The east-west/north-south pair of Columbus Drive and Nebraska Avenue will
become a Transit Emphasis Corridor pair. In 2009, HART begins all-day
frequent service on these streets.
35
September 2, 2003
•
The east-west/north-south pair of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard and
Florida Avenue will also become a Transit Emphasis Corridor pair with
improved frequency.
•
Lengthen the hours of service to economic centers, such as downtown, to
allow second-shift workers to return home and to reach late-shift work sites.
•
By 2008, provide new “bus rapid transit service” on the Lee Roy Selmon
Crosstown Expressway reversible lanes.
•
Provide longer hours and more frequent service on Route 7 connecting
downtown Tampa with West Tampa and the University area.
•
Extend the streetcar to Tampa Heights and to Hyde Park.
There were no comments from the stakeholders interviewed regarding this plan.
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway Off-Ramp at Cass Street
As the THCEA drafts plans to widen the southern
portion of the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown
Expressway, it is investigating opportunities to
develop an additional access point into downtown
from the south. The preliminary concept is an
elevated roadway providing an exit from the
northbound Expressway near Willow Avenue
heading north along the east side of the CSXT rail
corridor. The elevated road would cross the
Hillsborough River in the vicinity of the Cass
Street Bridge and touch down somewhere east of
Ashley Drive.
South Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway
Off-Ramp at Cass Street
Lead Agency:
Tampa Hillsborough County Expressway Authority
•
City of Tampa
•
•
CSXT
•
United States Coast Guard
(new bridge over navigable waters)
•
•
HART
•
•
Tampa Museum of Art
•
City of Tampa
The same corridor has already been identified as
the future location of Tampa’s light rail system
through a multi-year public involvement and
analysis process, and so adopted in the local Long
Range Transportation Plan. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Tampa Rail
Project has been approved by the Federal government and new proposals that could impact the
project are required to respond to the EIS. THCEA staff believes that the CSXT corridor will be
able to accommodate an elevated roadway as well as the Tampa Rail Project.
A second issue is the interface of high speed traffic exiting the Expressway with low speed
traffic accessing downtown businesses and attractions and downtown pedestrians crossing
streets.
36
September 2, 2003
•
Redevelopment in the north end of downtown – in the vicinity of Franklin
Street north of Polk Street – is a focus of the Tampa Downtown Partnership
and its Downtown Master Plan Committee, with emphasis on residential uses
and soft entertainment (restaurants, galleries, lower-intensity music venues).
A pedestrian-friendly environment is critical for making this redevelopment a
success. Strong pedestrian connections between Franklin Street restaurants
and the Cultural Arts District are key and will support utilization of the
streetcar extension.
•
Expanding access to the Arts District would be a benefit for Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center patrons, particularly during major events. On the
other hand, for the Arts District to thrive, we need to slow down the throughtraffic and create a sense of arrival.
•
HART
The light rail line from downtown to the SoHo area could be developed
initially as an extension of the streetcar system, as an interim technology
towards implementing the Tampa Rail EIS.
Tampa Greenways and Trails Master Plan
The future Greenway and Trail System for the
City of Tampa is envisioned as a multi-objective
system.
It will provide passive and active
recreational venues for walkers, hikers, skaters,
bicyclists, and canoeists, as well as a conservation
of open space and opportunities for environmental
and historical education.
In addition, the
Greenways and Trail System will provide a means
of alternate, non-motorized transportation, thereby
improving air quality, reducing traffic congestion,
and reducing parking lot requirements.
Tampa Greenways and Trails Master Plan
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
•
•
This multi-purpose Greenway and Trail System will network with inter-modal transfers that link
urban centers with suburban and rural areas throughout the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County,
and the Florida statewide system of trails.
•
A trail from downtown along the CSXT corridor and Adamo Drive is
affecting where Ybor City signs can be positioned.
37
September 2, 2003
Downtown Transit Linkages Report
Completed in 1999, this study was designed to
supplement the 1994 Downtown Tampa
Transportation Master Plan and recommends ways
to strengthen the transit connections as downtown
development
evolves.
Many
of
the
recommendations in the report have been achieved
or are currently underway, including:
2.5
Downtown Tampa Linkages Report
Lead Agency:
HART
•
•
City of Tampa
•
•
Development of the Southern
Transportation Plaza,
•
Relocation of the HART
Northern Terminal on Marion Street,
•
Construction of Phase One of the TECO Line Streetcar,
•
Relocation of the Downtown Commuter Center,
•
Expansion of east-west transit services,
•
Identify alignments for Phase Two of the TECO Line Streetcar, and
•
Additional downtown transit services.
•
None
Selected Land Development Projects
Florida Second District Court of Appeals Courtrooms, Offices, and Law Library
The Florida Second District Court of Appeals is
currently located in the Hillsborough County Court
Annex on Twiggs Street and will be relocating to the
new Stetson Law School campus discussed above.
The Second District Court of Appeals will include
courtrooms, judge’s chambers, administration
offices, and a law library.
Florida Second District
Court of Appeals Courtrooms,
Offices, and Law Library
Lead Agency:
Florida District Court of Appeals
•
City of Tampa
•
None
38
September 2, 2003
Stetson Law School
Stetson University’s College of Law purchased the
former City of Tampa Police Headquarters from the
City of Tampa to build the Stetson Law Center and
Campus. The completed school will include a
three-story, 73,500-square-foot main building.
Ground was broken in early 2003 and construction
is anticipated to take 10 to 12 months.
Stetson Law School
Lead Agency:
Stetson University
Cooperating Agency:
•
City of Tampa
Community Agency:
•
None
12th Street Yard Redevelopment
Located on Twiggs Street generally between
Channelside Drive and the CBD, the 12th Street
Yard Redevelopment project calls for a mixed-use
development with a significant residential
component on the 7.5-acre parcel. The City of
Tampa envisions this redevelopment as a catalyst
for redevelopment throughout the Channel District.
•
12th Street Yard Redevelopment
Lead Agency:
City of Tampa
•
•
•
The residents of the Channel District are relatively pleased that this parcel will
be redeveloped. There is some concern over the hazardous materials that may
be located on this site.
Bank of America Redevelopment Project
This $16.6 million redevelopment project will
include construction of 238 apartments in the
Tampa Heights neighborhood. Mobley Park is
designed to serve as a catalyst for further
neighborhood
revitalization
and
economic
development. This project was the lead project in
an overall revitalization initiative led by the City of
Tampa.
39
Bank of America
Redevelopment Project
Lead Agency:
Private Developer
•
City of Tampa
•
None
September 2, 2003
Pinnacle Project
This long proposed project is located at Channelside
Drive and Meridian Street.
The development
includes residential, retail, and office including a
625-foot tower with a restaurant and observation
deck on top. This project has encountered financing
issues and is considered to be on hold.
Pinnacle Project
Lead Agency:
Private Developer
•
City of Tampa
•
None
Hillsborough River Realty (Hillsborough River Tower)
Also known as the Hillsborough River Tower, this
933,000 square-foot mixed-use tower with a parking
structure (3,000+ spaces) and riverfront open space
is located on the west bank of the Hillsborough
River between the Tampa Tribune building and
Kennedy Boulevard. Current economic conditions
have shelved this project but it has an approved DRI.
Hillsborough River Realty
(Hillsborough River Tower)
Lead Agency:
Private Developer
•
City of Tampa
•
University of Tampa
•
None
40
September 2, 2003
3.0
DOWNTOWN ACCESS ISSUES
This section describes the downtown access and circulation issues identified by the stakeholders
interviewed. Figure 3-1 depicts the prominent downtown access and circulation issues.
3.1
Transit
Transit issues were focused on two topics - use of transit for circulation within downtown and
use of transit for access to downtown.
Bus Transit
The absence of a regularly scheduled east-west and north-south internal transit circulator with
consistent stops concerned many of those interviewed. A transit circulator would encourage trips
within downtown to utilize modal options of pedestrian and transit instead of personal vehicle
trips. Such a system was envisioned to assist various proposed redevelopment plans and existing
redevelopment areas, while maximizing investments in parking.
Transit access issues to downtown were related to directness of route and reasonable scheduling
of those routes. The approaches to downtown are as important as the internal circulation. Buses
from around the County are funneled into a few corridors to get in and out of downtown. They
are routinely delayed. Signal prioritization for buses should be considered to minimize transit
delays.
Bus stops are largely focused on the Marion Street Transit Parkway. Dispersing bus stops
throughout downtown would provide better service. Turning buses around at the south end of
the Marion Street Transit Parkway is difficult. Increased bus frequency and longer hours of
operation are needed but are not feasible without an increase in local funding for operations.
In addition to Marion Street, there are key areas in downtown that could be better served with
additional transit stops to enhance access to key destinations. The Marion Street Transit
Parkway focuses the transit service to the current downtown configuration. As downtown grows
and develops, additional key corridors will require enhanced transit service.
Consideration will need to be given to the fact that due to the bay, access to downtown is
primarily limited to the north, east, and west. It is difficult to create balance between northbound
and southbound routes. New transit distribution patterns could create a greater balance.
The reconfiguration of east-west streets in the north end of downtown to two-way streets should
include a discussion of a key east-west transit corridor. New transit amenities in this area would
complement the service provided on the Marion Street Transit Parkway. The discussion of
which of these street(s) is/are best suited for transit will require land use planning and possible
changes to on-street parking. Pedestrian and streetscape amenities should be discussed and
implemented as part of any transit development.
41
September 2, 2003
Streetcar
Issues related to the streetcar focused on future extensions of the system and improved
connections with existing transit options. Concerns related to future extensions focused on
connections with the Cultural Arts District, Stetson Law School, the Bank of America
Redevelopment area in Tampa Heights, and connection to Ybor City east through Tampa
Heights and the Tampa Heights Town Center. Improved connections to the existing transit
system (HART) are envisioned to increase ridership, encourage redevelopment, increase
pedestrian/transit trips while reducing personal vehicle trips, and improve overall access and
circulation.
Concerns over slow operating speeds could be alleviated through the double tracking of the
existing system. Additionally, the streetcar extension should connect to key activity areas
including a potential intermodal center at the proposed High Speed Rail station, Franklin Street
Redevelopment, and the Cultural Arts District.
Tampa Rail Project
If CSXT does not allow Tampa Rail use of its right-of-way, then local streets will have to
accommodate the rail corridor. The Meridian Street improvements preclude opportunities for
future rail in the corridor.
High Speed Rail
High Speed Rail is expected to use an elevated structure with little, if any, interference with local
streets. The High Speed Rail station will be connected to a parking structure at the north end of
downtown, south of I-275, near the Marion Street Transit Center. Direct connections to local
transit opportunities such as the streetcar or other circulator systems will be critical.
There is concern over impacts to historic structures, depending on the preferred alignment.
3.2
Pedestrian Mobility/Safety
Several agencies noted that everyone that comes to downtown, at some point in time, becomes a
pedestrian. Specific issues ranged from aesthetics to safety.
The “street-level experience” of the downtown Tampa pedestrian in many locations is a barren
journey from intersection to intersection with lengthy spans of uninspiring building facades. One
area in particular that was noted is between the County Center building and the Marriott
Waterside Hotel, especially the areas south of Whiting Street. Improvements to the street-level
experience of the pedestrian were assumed to encourage use of pedestrian travel in short- and
mid-range trips within downtown as opposed to personal vehicle usage.
It was noted that downtown Tampa has relatively short blocks (200 feet) and virtually continuous
street parking that provide the pedestrian with a sense of safety and protection from traffic.
However, it was noted that safety is still an issue at pedestrian crossings at Ashley Drive and the
intersection of Ashley Drive with Kennedy Boulevard. Vehicle travel speed and inadequate
crossing times were of particular concern.
43
September 2, 2003
As noted above, long spans of “sheer walls and windows” posed a level of concern to many
pedestrians for personal safety reasons. Activity in these areas is reduced and the sense of
“protection in numbers” is removed. This creates a psychological barrier to the use of some
pedestrian paths in downtown. Other noted psychological barriers to pedestrians included
Ashley Drive, the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, and the Hillsborough River.
The City of Tampa should enforce their existing code regarding private surface parking lots.
Lots should be paved and landscaped.
The quality of pedestrian amenities has a direct effect on the transit system. A lack of standard
sidewalks in the City is a problem for wheelchair lifts, as well as being pedestrian unfriendly.
The problem arises when the sidewalk is significantly higher than the roadway and not standard
for the wheelchair lift. Other sidewalks are sloped from the edge of the property to the curb,
creating an uncomfortable walking or wheelchair experience. A solution to create a level
sidewalk would be to institute a retaining wall for the property, separating it from a standard
height sidewalk. An example of this can be seen at the University of Tampa, where not only is
the sidewalk not on a level plane, but it also has extensive dips and curb cuts that make its use
uncomfortable.
The current sidewalk standards, especially in downtown, are too small. Pedestrians often
overflow into the street because there is not adequate space. This creates another problem of
pedestrian safety. Pedestrian safety techniques, such as bollards that define pedestrian crossings,
are seen as obstacles. By not instituting pedestrian safety techniques and pedestrian amenities,
an environment is created that places more importance on cars than people. Sheer edged
buildings send an anti-pedestrian message. Sidewalk and design standards should include
provisions for shade and rain cover through the use of trees and arcades.
3.3
Bicycle Mobility/Safety
Many issues related to bicycles are similar to pedestrian issues detailed in Section 3.2 (Pedestrian
Mobility); however, additional issues include dedicated bicycle lanes, paths, and trails that
provide access to and through downtown. Safe facilities are needed for bicyclists in major
thoroughfares. Connections to existing and planned bicycle paths that interconnect with transit
options are considered to be beneficial to improving access to and within downtown. In addition
to bicycle lanes, calmer automobile traffic would benefit bicyclist safety and encourage bicycle
use.
Channelside Drive is pedestrian friendly but lacks designated bicycle facilities. A bicycle route
connecting Cass/Tyler Streets to Platt/Cleveland Streets via North Boulevard is also needed. The
Platt Street Bridge from Bayshore Boulevard is a great access point into downtown for bicyclists
but it has limited bicycle facilities. The Platt/Cleveland Street corridor is wide enough for restriping and marking for bicycle use.
There are opportunities in the Cass/Tyler Street corridor via Nuccio Parkway to provide a safe
bicycle facility between downtown and Ybor City. Cass Street’s brick paving is difficult for
bicyclists, but in spite of this, this corridor has the potential to be an important east-west
connection for cycling.
44
September 2, 2003
3.4
Parking (Structure and Surface)
Access patterns into downtown are influenced by the placement of parking garages. As stated in
Section 3.2 (Pedestrian Mobility), virtually each traveler to downtown Tampa becomes a
pedestrian after their initial destination (e.g., a parking structure or surface lot) is reached. Most
of the identified issues relate to the proximate access by pedestrians to those parking
opportunities.
Surface parking lots should be pushed to the outer edges of downtown, allowing for infill
development in the downtown core. Parking structures should be focused near key activity
centers, especially near special event venues. Visitors would be better served with convenient
parking near gateways or key activity areas and signs that direct them to this parking.
Parking garages and surface lots on the outer edges of downtown should be served by a transit
circulator service to influence using these parking areas and to alleviate downtown congestion.
Concentrated parking options should be coupled with pedestrian friendly streets including
covered walkways and transit circulator options.
Connections between downtown, Channelside, and Ybor City via the streetcar or other transit
could maximize the investment in structured parking in both locations. Hourly or daily parking
costs should be equalized over downtown, Channelside, and Ybor City.
Parking meter regulations and enforcement, especially in Ybor City, are inconsistent.
Overpriced surface lots should be discouraged.
3.5
Downtown Signalization
Traffic signal timing favors personal vehicle travel through downtown rather than around or
within downtown. Reevaluation of signal timing in the non-peak period may be to the benefit of
downtown businesses and would likely decrease the number of people that travel through
downtown to avoid congestion issues at the I-275/I-4 junction.
The current computerized signal system causes transit delays. HART is coordinating with the
City of Tampa to upgrade the current system. Signal priority or pre-emption should be
considered for transit emphasis corridors. Scott Street and the Marion Street Parkway are
examples of improvement opportunities.
3.6
Downtown Signage
Downtown signage is a prominent concern of many of the stakeholders interviewed. Inadequate
signage in the downtown area and along access roadways leading to downtown does not lead
visitors to key activity centers or the parking areas. Improvements to signage in downtown
should focus on gateway announcement, direction to key parking locations, parking availability,
and directions to key activity centers/visitor (infrequent user) points of interest. International
symbols, as used in Ybor City, should be included on informational and directional signs to serve
tourists who visit Tampa from abroad.
45
September 2, 2003
The Tampa Downtown Partnership pointed out that access from downtown to the Channel
District and Channelside development is difficult for visitors. Not only are there limited access
points (Channelside Drive from Platt Street and Kennedy Boulevard), there is a lack of signs for
visitors to follow. The Partnership supports the connection of east-west streets into the Channel
District. Additionally, the Partnership would like to have the signage, including parking signage,
in downtown be studied.
Mayor Greco’s administration made a point of directing travelers through Ybor City to get to
downtown as an effort to stimulate the district. With major transportation changes being made to
I-4 and the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway, this routing is no longer necessary. In
addition, given the current level of attention on Ybor City, the Ybor City Development
Corporation is in the process of changing the signs and travel patterns to separate Ybor City and
downtown destinations.
The City of Tampa Transportation Division has a Master Signage Plan to address issues in Ybor
City and downtown. This plan is a collective effort of the Ybor City Development Corporation,
Port Authority, and THCEA. The plan identifies sign locations that will define the boundaries of
the Ybor City Historic District. Additionally, the plan serves to better direct visitors to
information as well as provide aesthetic value to the areas. A copy of the Ybor Destination Sign
Map is provided in Appendix C.
3.7
Special Events
Street closures during special events in Ybor City and downtown create confusion and frustration
for visitors and business owners. Additionally, the concentration of special event venues at the
south end of downtown creates circulation issues during events. The streetcar currently provides
access to remote parking. It could serve new public spaces at the south end of downtown, such
as the future Fort Brooke Park, if they were used for festivals and other special events.
It should be noted that there are special event issues facing Ybor City, separately from
downtown. Ybor events affect downtown parking, etc. and vice versa. Many different events
held at one time cross over districts and can cause major traffic congestion in downtown.
The Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. and HART have developed a Streetcar Special Events
Package/Policy allowing for parades and other events to request that the streetcar service not
operate during a certain period of time. The policy also provides the opportunity for event
coordinators to request additional streetcar service to accommodate large crowds.
3.8
Truck Traffic
Over 6,000 trucks per day travel from the Port of Tampa through Ybor City. The proposed
Crosstown/I-4 Connector would replace the current 22nd Street route through Ybor City. This
would be convenient for the Port and beneficial to the development of the residential areas on the
east side of Ybor City.
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September 2, 2003
3.9
Roadway Construction Projects
I-275/I-4 Interchange Improvements
Two major issues were evident regarding the planned improvements to interstate interchanges:
•
How will construction affect the maintenance of traffic flow?
•
Will existing surface streets be able to accommodate inbound and outbound
traffic volumes once interchanges are complete?
Streets that are of greatest concern include Tampa Street, Florida Avenue, Ashley Drive, and
14th/15th Streets (Ybor City). Concerns in downtown are based on daily peak hour traffic and
concerns in Ybor City are based on special events.
Meridian Street/Reversible Lanes
The Meridian Street project provides improved automobile access to the Channel District in
addition to promoting the reconnection of the Channel District to the main portion of downtown.
The removal of the Kennedy Boulevard overpass and the reconnection of east-west downtown
streets over the CSXT tracks will also benefit redevelopment.
The Meridian Street project includes planned sidewalks and bicycle lanes on the east side of the
road. The opening of streets into downtown should include landscaping and shade/cover features
for these streets in order to create a useable pedestrian/bicycle way into the core of downtown.
3.10
Two-Way Streets
Many of the agencies interviewed are in favor of the conversion of some one-way streets to twoway streets. It is also recognized that there needs to be balance between one-way pairs and
“calmer” streets. Streets at the north end of downtown (Madison, Twiggs, Zack, and Polk
Streets) are proposed to be converted to two-way streets.
Residential areas would benefit from the revision of Tampa Street and Florida Avenue to twoway streets.
3.11
Downtown Master Plan
The Plan should include a clear, updated definition of downtown, creation of distinct spaces, and
demarcation of gateways and districts.
3.12
Redevelopment
Redevelopment of the north end of downtown for residential use is desired. Attraction of a
critical mass of residential development would boost “around the clock” use of downtown.
Existing and new residents require neighborhood-oriented services, such as grocery stores,
currently lacking in downtown.
47
September 2, 2003
Redevelopment plans include the Ybor Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) (two districts),
Old Tampa Police Station CRA and Tampa Heights Plan, Downtown CRA (core and non-core
districts), Channel District CRA, East Tampa CRA, Drew Park CRA, and the Bank of
America/Mobley Park project. HART noted that these plans should include the identification of
bus stops with a discussion of streetscapes, shelters, bus bays, turning radii, and lighting
enhancements in the key areas.
There is also an opportunity for strong redevelopment at public housing sites. Agencies
interested in redevelopment should coordinate with the Tampa Housing Authority to leverage
Housing Authority monies with other local funds.
48
September 2, 2003
4.0
ACTION PLAN
During the stakeholder interview process, several common themes were prevalent. These
included better pedestrian access, mobility, and safety; transit accessibility and circulation within
downtown; access to future destinations such as the Cultural Arts District; and creating a “human
scale” pedestrian environment. These themes and other issues identified in this report should be
addressed in an update of the Downtown Master Plan, as detailed below.
Within the discussion of each of the issues in Section 3.0, there are two primary categories of
issues: entrance and egress to downtown and circulation within downtown. Figure 4-1 depicts
the issues about access at gateways and to initial destinations in downtown Tampa. Figure 4-2
graphically portrays downtown circulation
Downtown Master Plan Focus Areas
issues. While some modes are used more
frequently for access to or travel within
• Aesthetic and operational improvements to Ashley
downtown, other modes are used equally
Drive as it relates to vehicular access capacity on
and off I-275, interaction with pedestrians and
for both. In most cases, someone traveling
bicycles, and its relationship with the Cultural Arts
to downtown will use a second mode once
District.
within the limits of downtown, especially
• Expansion of the streetcar and its influence on
if the traveler is in downtown for a lengthy
residential, entertainment, and commercial
period of time, such as a workday or
development.
special event. Intermodal connections,
• East-west and north-south connectivity within
therefore, should be a primary concern for
downtown for pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and
the development of the Downtown Master
vehicular modes.
Plan.
4.1
•
Mobility opportunities including expansion of the
Riverwalk north to Tampa Heights, expansion of
the streetcar and rubber wheeled trolley, and overall
pedestrian and bicycle access.
•
Evaluation of the critical approaches into
downtown.
•
Relationship between parking facilities and final
destinations within downtown.
•
Relationship of residential developments in the
Channel District, Tampa Heights, and the Cultural
Arts District and mobility to downtown
destinations.
•
Development of the Cultural Arts District as a
multi-use destination.
•
Economic viability and the need for access to be
balanced with livability improvements.
Downtown Master Plan
Tampa’s downtown is rapidly maturing
into a thriving, multi-faceted, livable
residential, entertainment, and commercial
destination.
This rapid maturation is
exposing development opportunities in the
downtown area that until recently were
considered infeasible and undesirable.
With the current and anticipated
development pressure and increased
attractiveness of downtown Tampa, it is
critical that a Downtown Master Plan is
developed.
• Recognition of downtown as a “neighborhood.”
The Master Plan should be coordinated
• Evolution of downtown into a “human scale”
with the ongoing and evolving studies and
community.
plans presented in this report. It should
involve a large group of stakeholders
including those interviewed in this study,
major downtown employers, the court system, the library system, and other interested parties.
49
September 2, 2003
The study area should include the West Bank, University of Tampa campus, Ybor City, Tampa
Heights, and Harbour Island.
The absence of a well organized, comprehensive, and implementable Downtown Master Plan
will result in haphazard development and undesirable mobility conditions. This will quickly
erode the current desire for residential, entertainment, and commercial development in
downtown Tampa.
The action items discussed below are categorized into immediate, short-term, and long-term.
Immediate action items are those that could be implemented with little cost or within existing
activities. Short-term items are those that could be implemented within the next 5 years with
identifiable funding sources. Finally, long-term items are those that may be implemented outside
of the next 5 years and may require more substantial funding sources. Each of the action items
listed below should adhere to the goals and objectives of the Downtown Master Plan.
4.2
Immediate Action Items
•
Coordinate with the two studies being performed by the City of Tampa and
FDOT that are evaluating the interaction of parking structures and overall
traffic movements and volumes.
a.
Coordinate with the ongoing City of Tampa and FDOT downtown
traffic studies to identify high-use corridors between parking structures
and final destinations.
b.
Determine existing and future capacity of roadway corridors and
gateways servicing downtown. Identify opportunities to convert
excess capacity to other uses, such as dedicated bus lanes and bicycle
and pedestrian facilities.
c.
Discern travel patterns from gateways to parking areas.
d.
Identify opportunities for existing and new parking facilities to
functionally interface with transit opportunities, pedestrian/bicycle
opportunities, and special events.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include the Hillsborough County
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, City of Tampa Transportation
Division, City of Tampa Parking Division, HART, and FDOT.
•
Establish a High Speed Rail Station Area Development Advisory
Committee.
a.
Coordinate with FDOT on the upcoming study to locate, plan, design,
and engineer intermodal centers necessary to implement Florida’s
High Speed Rail system.
b.
Coordinate directly with High Speed Rail designers and station
architects to establish desired urban design features and proximate
development opportunities.
52
September 2, 2003
c.
Encourage transit intermodalism through coordination with HART and
the Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc.
d.
Provide a vehicle for the distribution of information related to High
Speed Rail, station development, and station area developments
throughout downtown.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include FDOT, High Speed Rail
Authority, City of Tampa Transportation Division, City of Tampa Parking,
HART, Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc., and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
•
Examine existing HART bus routes to and from downtown to identify
potential new or expanded express service opportunities.
a.
Develop roadway efficiency plan for express buses coming into
downtown including signal prioritization/pre-emption for major transit
corridors.
b.
Examine modification of routes and scheduling for access to
downtown.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include HART, Hillsborough
County MPO, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa Traffic Engineering, and
the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
•
Establish key pedestrian corridors.
a.
Identify the capture area for parking structures by performing an
Origin and Destination (O&D) survey at stand-alone public parking
structures.
b.
From the O&D survey, identify high-use pedestrian corridors and
inventory features along that corridor that are acceptable to the
pedestrian.
c.
From the O&D survey, identify lower-use pedestrian corridors and
inventory features along that corridor that are unacceptable to the
pedestrian.
d.
Utilize inventories from (b) and (c) to identify amenities and features
that attract/repulse pedestrian usage.
e.
Identify opportunities for transit intermodalism for both employees
and special event visitors along pedestrian corridors.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include the City of Tampa
Parking Division, City of Tampa Transportation Division, Hillsborough
County MPO, HART, Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc., and the Tampa
Downtown Partnership.
53
September 2, 2003
4.3
Short-Term Action Items
•
Provide advance signs to direct drivers to parking areas near gateways or
near desired activities. These signs would assist infrequent visitors to
downtown find their initial destination, in addition to providing daily visitors
with timely information about issues such as congested areas and special
events.
a.
Coordinate with the MPO ITS Master Plan to develop a downtown
specific element.
b.
Coordinate with FDOT, City of Tampa, and THCEA to identify
possible ITS/Advance Signage opportunities.
c.
Coordinate with all special event venues in downtown and Ybor City
to establish level of detail needed in ITS/Advance Signage.
d.
Coordinate with HART to identify transit ITS opportunities such as
signal prioritization for buses on major corridors and VMBs to direct
transit vehicles carrying people from parking garages to their final
destination.
e.
Research possible funding sources for subsequent design and
implementation.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include FDOT, THCEA,
Hillsborough County, City of Tampa Transportation Division, Tampa
Downtown Partnership, Cultural Arts District, St. Pete Times Forum,
Tampa/Hillsborough County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Tampa
Port Authority.
•
Promote and create opportunities for intermodalism.
a.
Coordinate with HART, Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc., FDOT, and
City of Tampa to identify opportunities for co-locating parking
facilities with other intermodal facilities.
b.
Promote these opportunities through downtown focused publications
(e.g., Tampa Downtown Partnership, Tampa Chamber of Commerce).
c.
Investigate the potential for reduction of costs if intermodal
opportunities are utilized (e.g., reduced bus circulator/streetcar fare
with parking structure ticket, free transfers between bus/streetcar,
developer credit for promotion of intermodal opportunities in new
developments/redevelopments).
Stakeholder/agencies that may be involved include HART, Tampa Historic
Streetcar, Inc., FDOT, City of Tampa, and Tampa Downtown Partnership.
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September 2, 2003
•
Establish a Light Rail Transit Station Area Development Advisory
Committee.
a.
Coordinate with rail designers and station area planners/urban
designers.
b.
Create discrete connections to other transit modes directly or through
other modes: streetcar, circulator bus, High Speed Rail.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include HART, Tampa Historic
Streetcar, Inc., Tampa Downtown Partnership, Ybor City Development
Corporation, and City of Tampa Land Development.
•
Identify desired and appropriate east-west and north-south internal
circulation routes.
a.
Utilize data gathered in the pedestrian O&D survey (Section 4.3.2) to
identify potential high ridership corridors.
b.
Coordinate between HART bus service and the streetcar to develop a
transfer schedule to allow transfers from bus to streetcar.
c.
Evaluate the advantages/disadvantages of existing circulator systems,
specifically the LYNX/LYMMO system in downtown Orlando.
d.
Review existing transit circulator routes and identify opportunities for
improved service.
e.
Research possible funding sources for the development, maintenance,
and possible subsidy of an expanded internal circulation system.
Streetcar, Inc., Hillsborough County MPO, City of Tampa Transportation
Division, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
•
Create safe pedestrian scale gateways.
a.
Identify key pedestrian access points based on activity areas within a
walkable distance from downtown (e.g., University of Tampa, Ybor
City, Tampa Heights).
b.
Remove/reduce psychological barriers through development
regulations, traffic calming techniques, streetscape/infrastructure
improvements, etc.
c.
Maximize investment in pedestrian gateways through intermodal
connections.
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Tampa Downtown Partnership,
Channel District Council, Tampa Heights Civic Association, VM Ybor
Neighborhood Association, University of Tampa, City of Tampa
Transportation Division, HART, and FDOT.
55
September 2, 2003
•
Create safe bicycle gateways and corridors.
a.
Identify key north-south and east-west bicycle routes serving
downtown based on issues presented in this report and the County
Bicycle Master Plan. Bicycle amenities such as bicycle racks and
storage lockers should be placed in strategic intermodal locations
along these corridors.
b.
Remove/reduce psychological barriers through development
regulations, traffic calming techniques, streetscape/infrastructure
improvements, etc.
c.
Integrate bicycle routes into transportation and recreational projects to
connect to greater regional bicycle system.
Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Tampa Downtown Partnership,
Channel District Council, Tampa Heights Civic Association, VM Ybor
Neighborhood Association, University of Tampa, City of Tampa
Transportation Division, HART, and FDOT.
•
Establish development/design standards to improve pedestrian comfort.
a.
Remove/reduce psychological barriers to pedestrian circulation.
Develop survey to identify:
• Where barriers exist,
• Why barriers exist,
• What features create barriers, and
• What role safety plays.
b.
Develop design criteria/development standards to improve pedestrian
features in key corridors.
c.
Coordinate with the City of Tampa regarding the opportunities for
incentives to redevelopment and new development projects to provide
“pedestrian/bicycle-friendly” amenities in association with the
completed project.
Stakeholders/agencies that may be involved include Hillsborough County
MPO, City of Tampa Land Development Department, City of Tampa
Transportation Division, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
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September 2, 2003
4.4
Long-Term Action Items
•
Provide appropriate and timely information via VMBs or signage at initial
destinations related to routes to secondary destinations and special events.
a.
Coordinate with the pedestrian/bicycle O&D survey, discussed in
Section 4.3.2, to identify high-use routes.
b.
Coordinate with all special event venues in downtown and Ybor City
to establish information level of detail.
c.
Coordinate with transit providers (HART, Streetcar, High Speed Rail)
to identify routes to transfer points and transit schedules.
Streetcar, Inc., Hillsborough County MPO, City of Tampa Transportation
Division, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
It should be noted that all downtown access and circulation issues may not be represented in this
study. It includes the issues identified through stakeholder interviews and action items based on
the identified issues. The continued examination of the general issues of downtown access and
the continued coordination with those stakeholders interviewed should be accomplished within
the actions presented in this report.
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September 2, 2003

Downtown Access Study Final Report

Transcription

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