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HART is currently updating the Transit Development Plan (TDP), a 10-year transportation blueprint and business plan for HART to meet the mobility needs of this community. Highlights of this major update were presented during the HART Board Finance, Governance & Administration Committee meeting this morning.
The State of Florida requires local transit agencies to produce yearly progress reports of their TDP and undertake a major update of it every five years. This year, HART is undertaking a major update.
Since April, HART has been seeking public input for its TDP, receiving feedback from residents on the type of new and enhanced transit services they would like see over the next decade. In addition to this public input, the HART Planning Department is incorporating new available data into its TDP major update, such as 2010 Census numbers, ridership trends and funding projections. An overarching vision plan has been developed, as well as an action plan, which focuses on bus service and other cost-affordable strategies.
The TDP is scheduled to be finalized in August, after the entire HART Board has adopted it. To view the most current TDP, visit: www.gohart.org/tdp/
At the most recent regular meeting of the HART Board on June 6, the HART Planning Department was directed to provide a report 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.
Implications are primarily related to relinquishing remaining state funding allocated for this project, which is set to expire December 2012, or possibly accessing this funding in the future. However, remaining local funding allocated for this project would be redirected towards other operational or capital costs at HART.
The total cost for the airport transfer center is $3.6 million, with $1.4 million in federal funding, $1.6 million in state funding and $600,000 in local funding. About $265,000 in state and local funding has been invested towards this project.
The Finance Committee met today at 9 a.m. at the HART Ybor Office. The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 18 at the same time and location.
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