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During the HART Board's regular meeting today, they voted 6-2 to advance the proposed fiscal year 2012 and 2013 operating and capital budgets through the budget process.
These proposed budgets will now be sent to Hillsborough County, City of Tampa and City of Temple Terrace for review and comment.
The HART Board finalizes these budgets in September, after two public hearings are held. To view the proposed budgets, visit the Public Meetings page of www.goHART.org
Highlights of the proposed fiscal year 2012 operating budget:
- $61.2 million operating budget
- Bus service modifications scheduled for November 2011
- Millage rate of 0.5000
- Preserves the network of transit service throughout Hillsborough County
- Preserves the fund balance reserve
- $3.25 million in internal efficiencies, $3.4 million in cost-saving measures
Highlights of the proposed fiscal year 2012 capital budget:
- $40.1 million capital budget
- Maintains vehicles and infrastructure in a state of good repair
- Construction of MetroRapid North-South scheduled for early 2012
- Upgrade to Yukon Transfer Center
- Park-and-Ride lots in Brandon and in the I-75/Fletcher area
- Continuing improvements to bus stops and shelters throughout Hillsborough County
Proposed Bus Service Changes for November 2011
The HART Board also voted to move forward with public outreach for the route and schedule modifications proposed for November 2011. Routes with low ridership in certain areas or during certain times will be modified to eliminate unproductive service, establish a sustainable transit network and balance the fiscal year 2012 and 2013 operating budgets. The first community meeting regarding these proposed service modifications will be held later this month. Details about times and locations for these meetings will be distributed later this week.
Update to Airport Transfer Center Project
During today's HART Board meeting, HART staff provided an update on a recent meeting with Aviation Authority staff to discuss the Tampa International Airport Transfer Center in relation to the Airport Master Plan Update, which the Aviation Authority will be undertaking over the next year. An objective of the Airport Master Plan is to explore opportunities to better integrate the various transportation uses serving the airport, such as rental cars, terminal shuttle buses, taxis, as well as HART service. A strategy to accomplish this integration is possibly replacing the transfer center project with an intermodal terminal in the south part of the airport property, near the Economy Parking garage.
The HART Board directed staff to provide a report at a future HART Board meeting on the implications of suspending work on the Tampa International Airport Transfer Center, which would serve as a bus hub for the Westshore area, connecting existing and future transit service. This project is currently in the final design phase and the total cost of this project is about $3.5 million, paid for by federal, state and local funding.
Next Meeting
Today's meeting was held at 9 a.m. in County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa. The Finance Committee of the HART Board will meet Monday, June 20 at 9 a.m. at the HART Ybor Office, 1201 E. Seventh Ave. in Ybor City.
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