In October HART (Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority) adopted a 10-year Transit Development Plan (TDP).
The TDP actually consists of two plans, one based on the status quo and the other a vision plan.
This update of the TDP reviews recent accomplishments and current projects, aligns the TDP with the current budget and financial projections. Current projects include:
- A new CNG Fueling Station
- Farebox Replacements
- Build-out of HART’s Ybor headquarters
- Drainage improvements at HART’s 21st Ave operations base
The Status Quo and Vision Plans propose a variety of route enhancements, new MetroRapid routes, Park-and-Ride lots, and two new maintenance facilities. The Status Quo Plan includes only projects that can be funded. Due to budget and facility constraints, the plan aims to maintain the existing level of service and only includes projects that do not require additional buses. Thus under the status quo, service expansion is limited to nights and weekends for 24 current routes. Route 46 (Davis Island – West Brandon) is the only proposed change, removing service from Davis Island and extending service from the Marion Transit Center to East Brandon/Dover.
The Vision Plan is unfunded and focuses on new express, local, flex, and MetroRapid routes. The plan calls for 175 additional buses, 11 new paratransit vans, a new maintenance facility and the relocation of the paratransit vans to an off-site maintenance facility. The primary focus of the Vision Plan is expanded MetroRapid service, including five (5) new MetroRapid routes. These would be in addition to the Nebraska-Fletcher MetroRapid currently in operation and the East-West MetroRapid currently under development. The Vision Plan also includes increased service frequency on 24 existing routes and the addition of 12 local routes, 6 flex circulators, 6 express routes, 3 community circulators, and 5 Park-and-Ride lots. The Vision Plan lays out projects year by year. If funding becomes available, then the projects will occur according to the schedule. If not, the unfunded project will be bumped to the next year until funding becomes available.
For more information view a copy of the TDP or contact HART at 813.623.5835.