Message from the Executive Director

The MPO's 2035 Plan represents a new vision for our county that interrelates land use and transportation more closely than any previous efforts.  Our transportation vision not only supports multi-modal concepts, but it also builds upon the new comprehensive plans recently adopted for all of our local jurisdictions as well as local community plans.  Rail transit has become an important organizing principle to frame a new direction in land use, promoting efficient development patterns and curtailing urban sprawl. In addition, bus transit takes on a more important role by providing support for the successful incorporation of rail in the MPO Plan. The plan is filled with new ideas, including the concept of Complete Streets to carry Hillsborough County into a future where we reinvest in our neighborhoods and are more economically competitive with other metropolitan areas while providing the highest possible quality of life for our current and future residents.
 
You can make a difference in the future of Hillsborough County. Please join us as the MPO Board considers this critical investment in Hillsborough County's future.
 
Ray Chiaramonte, AICP
Executive Director
Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization

---

Public Hearing to Adopt the 2035 Plan



The day we've been working for so hard is finally here! After years of preparation, we are getting ready to adopt the 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan for Hillsborough County. We hope this transportation plan reflects the needs and desires of our community. So please plan to attend the Public Hearing to adopt the 2035 Plan and let us know what you think!
 
When:
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Where:
BOCC Chambers, County Center, 2nd Floor
601 E Kennedy Blvd, Downtown Tampa
 
The Public Hearing will be broadcast live on HTV22, and webcast live at www.htv22.com. If you can't make it in person, a phone number will be provided during the live broadcast for you to leave a comment that will be read to the MPO Board. You can also go to www.mpo2035.org and send a comment, email your comment to mpo@plancom.org, or call our toll-free comment line at 1-888-777-5730. The public comment period culminates at the Public Hearing.

---

 
What's in the 2035 Plan for me?

Save MONEY.  $9,000 per year
`
Working families in our metro area spend about 1/3 of their household budget on transportation. That's more than nearly any other region in the country. According to AAA and APTA, the American Public Transit Association, people who use public transportation can save up to $9,000 per year when you consider the cost of owning and operating a car. With more transportation choices available, many families would not have to own a second or third car. Some may even be able to not own a car at all!


Traffic RELIEF.  $1,000,000,000 wasted
`
Today, an average commuter in Tampa Bay spends an extra 46 hours per year sitting in traffic. This costs us a total of $1 billion annually. Even with the current slowdown of people moving to Florida, Hillsborough County is still growing and is expecting more than 500,000 new residents by 2035. With a 47% increase in population and 55% more jobs within Hillsborough County, the average delay on roadways will triple! In corridors where 8 new road lanes would be needed to meet this demand, rail is a cost effective strategy.


More JOBS.  47,500
` 
An efficient transportation system is an economic engine and a job creator. Not only does transit attract new employers to our region - building it also creates jobs! According to APTA, for every billion dollars invested in public transportation, 47,500 jobs are supported, including construction, operations and maintenance, and secondary jobs from supplies and materials to feeding the hungry workers. For every dollar that's invested in transit, research shows as much as $6 is generated in economic returns. In the economic times we are facing, that is a welcome statistic.


Go GREEN. For the planet
`
One of the most significant positive effects a family can have on the environment is to carpool or use public transportation instead of driving alone. Public transportation is the responsible environmental choice. Taking public transportation far exceeds the combined benefits of using energy-efficient light bulbs, adjusting thermostats, weathering one's home, and replacing a refrigerator. Increased investment in public transportation is an investment in our planet and our community's sustainability.


Get INVOLVED. Let us know what you think
`
Can we share rides to work in a carpool or vanpool? Can we live close enough to our jobs to walk or bike to work? Do we invest in a rail transit system? We need your help in deciding what is most important. You have a big role to play in these decisions. Attend the Public Hearing on December 9th to adopt the 2035 Transportation Plan . The Hillsborough MPO also has a dedicated web site with everything you'd want to know about the 2035 Plan and more. Please visit www.mpo2035.org or follow HillsboroughMPO on Twitter.