News & Public Affairs

Mayor Pam Iorio is optimistic about Obama's Thursday visit listen

01/22/10 Arielle Stevenson
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Tags: high speed rail, Pam Iorio, obama, Transportation, transit

Next Thursday President Obama and Vice President Biden are coming to Tampa for the first time since the election. Proponents of high speed rail are hoping he will announce that Florida received the $2.5 billion for the project.

This morning WMNF asked Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio if she thought Obama was coming to Tampa to announce if Florida had won the bid.

Iorio: Well all indications that I have received, there is a very positive vibe I'll say in the direction of us getting high speed ...

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Two Billion Cars

01/11/10 Jon Butts
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Tags: Transportation, environment, sustainable living

Today’s special guest was Deborah Gordon, the co-author of the book Two Billion Cars - Driving toward Sustainability. Deborah is a transportation policy analyst who has worked with the National Commission on Energy Policy, the California Energy Commission, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Chinese government to develop policies for its burgeoning auto fleet. She has also served as the director of transportation and energy programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists, as a senior research sch...

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HART On The Move Toward Better Transit listen

01/04/10 Concetta DeLuco
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Tags: HART, Mark Sharpe, light rail, high speed rail, bullet train, Transportation, transportation funding

The drive for major transportation changes in Hillsborough County continues to progress. At the Hillsborough County Transit Authority (HART) meeting this morning, members evaluated the progress of the county’s transit plans and the next move for Hillsborough.

Over the past few months, Hillsborough County has picked up speed on the move toward major transportation reform. Such changes include talks of transit improvements like better bus systems and a light rail and non-transit upgrades lik...

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TBARTA meets after transportation bill passes listen

12/11/09 Arielle Stevenson
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Tags: TBARTA, Transportation, light rail, high-speed rail, commuter rail

In a special session this week, the State Legislature voted to pass the bill which will provide funding for commuter and light rail in central and south Florida. Many in the state felt that this legislation was critical to acquiring the federal funds necessary to build high-speed rail between Tampa and Orlando. Today, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) discussed what the passing of that legislation means for the future of TBARTA’s transportation efforts. Bob Cliffor...

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County passes 25 year transportation plan for 2035. listen

12/10/09 Joshua Lee Holton
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Tags: MPO, public transportation, transportation funding, Transportation

After several years of planning, the Hillborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization passed a $12 billion long-range transportation plan yesterday. The 25-year plan includes highway, transit, and pedestrian improvements county-wide, and passed unanimously. Some South Hillsborough residents are concerned that they didn’t get equal attention for their transportation needs.

With concerns about curbing greenhouse gas emissions and pedestrian deaths in Tampa,...

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County Commission moves forward on transit listen

12/02/09 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Hillsborough County Commission, Mass Transit, Transportation, Transit Referendum, public transportation, Rose Ferlita, Al Higginbotham, Kevin White, Jim Norman

Today the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners moved a step closer to letting the public decide if it will fund transportation. If adopted, the referendum would add a one cent sales tax to fund the multi-billion dollar transit overhaul, which would include light rail. The board passed the resolution 5 to 2. Commissioners Jim Norman and Al Higginbotham staunchly opposed the move.

Norman, challenging county staff on the feasibility of the project, reiterated his stance that this is ano...

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HART board considers economic development around transit lines listen

11/02/09 Seán Kinane
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Tags: HART, light rail, Transportation, transit referrendum

On Wednesday, Hillsborough County Commissioners will begin considering if they should let voters decide to raise the sales tax to pay for transportation. Light rail lines linking downtown Tampa with USF and Westshore would be the first mass transit projects to be constructed if citizens approve a one-cent sales tax increase.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), would also use some of the funds to enhance bus service in the county. This morning, th...

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Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce urges referendum on rail tax listen

10/30/09 Seán Kinane
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Tags: Transportation, transportation funding, Chamber of Commerce

Hillsborough County voters may get a chance to vote next November on a sales tax increase to pay for transit, including light rail. That chance may have gotten more likely late yesterday, when the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce urged Hillsborough County Commissioners to place the referendum on the 2010 ballot.

WMNF spoke with Bank of Tampa executive vice president Henry Gonzalez, who is chair of the Chamber.

Henry Gonzalez: “We had voted unanimously in a past board meeting to b...

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Transit trip increase means using less gas listen

09/22/09 Seán Kinane

Tags: Transportation

During the last year, Florida has saved more than 100 million gallons of gasoline because of a record number of trips taken on transit. That’s according to a report from Environment Florida called Getting On Track: Record Transit Ridership Increases Energy Independence.” Environment Florida ad...

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HART alternative analysis could depend on sales tax listen

09/10/09 Seán Kinane

Tags: HART, light rail, Transportation

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is conducting a study of possible transportation routes from USF to downtown, and from downtown to the Westshore business district. This “alternative analysis” could help determine the route of future light rail lines, assuming county residents are willing to pay for them.

A regional transportation network is expected to have its light rail beginnings in Tampa. A USF to downtown line could open by 2018 and another line from downtown t...

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