Tampa — LRT FEIS Approved

Rail Transit Online, May 2003

The Federal Transit Administration has approved the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed 20-mi. (32.2 km), 26-station light rail system linking downtown Tampa with Ybor City, the University of South Florida and the West Shore business district, much of it on existing CSX right-of-way.  Not approved — but still part of the planning process — are segments to Port Tampa, Raymond James Stadium, St. Joseph's Hospital and Tampa International Airport (see RTOL, November 2001).  The FTA’s action allows the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HARTline) to purchase land for the $985-million project, although no source of capital funding has yet been identified.  Hillsborough County commissioners have the authority to ask voters for up to a one-percent increase in the sales tax to finance the local share but so far have shown little inclination to do so.  “Just because you get the approval doesn't mean it's going to happen or that it's going to happen right away,” HARTline spokesman Ed Crawford told the St. Petersburg Times.  “It means six years worth of study required to get through the federal process is done.”  Added HARTline board of directors chairwoman Jan Platt, “What's important about this approval is that it recognizes that we took a practical approach to light rail — that it's doable.”  Platt admitted that construction probably won’t start for at least 10 years, but when completed light rail would make Tampa “…a full participant in the 21st century.”  Tampa mayor Pam Iorio says population density needs to increase before LRT can be seriously considered but, in the long term, agrees rail transit will be needed.