Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Florida > Tampa Bay
 [Register]
Tampa Bay Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 06-02-2015, 11:18 AM
 
Location: Tampa, Fl
4,091 posts, read 6,016,957 times
Reputation: 3415

Advertisements

For the people that are for mass transit, you'll be happy to know that the TECO streetcar is planning on expanding to the Westshore area. They're in the research phase now. I think it'll be cool when it's done.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 06-02-2015, 11:18 AM
 
1,905 posts, read 2,791,155 times
Reputation: 1086
The Mass transit issue is very sticky as you always have people who say we need it and then people who say its a waste of money so what is going to be. Now we start comparing ourselves to DC like really we are not even the same tier cities so don't mention that to prove a point. I for one want comprehensive transit system and I realized Tampa is only metro area in Florida that doesn't have a plan yet. I mean Orlando got the ball rolling with Sunrail and now possibly Maglev is coming as well. Jacksonville recently started construction of BRT system and is studying commuter rail between St. Augustine and Downtown Jax. South Florida has always been the most advanced in Public transit in the entire state and is in the same tier as DC as far as population so they can be compared. Pinellas tried a ballot initiative and it failed sadly because of tax sensitive people who always seem to outvote other groups of people. But 2016 is the year everybody comes out so they need to put it on a ballot by then if they want to have any chance of passing.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 11:30 AM
 
Location: Central Mexico and Central Florida
7,150 posts, read 4,906,179 times
Reputation: 10444
What is needed is a REGIONAL mass transit plan. Pinellas' plan, Greenlight Pinellas, was Pinellas only and went from Clearwater to St. Pete.

There needs to be a comprehensive regional plan between ALL the TB Area cities and counties to move forward.

Any plan that doesn't include Tampa and St. Pete and adjacent localities doesn't make sense.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 12:15 PM
 
Location: Terra
2,826 posts, read 3,992,967 times
Reputation: 3374
Visiting Chicago and NYC has turned me on to mass transit. They need lines connecting TPA and PIE to downtown Tampa, the beaches and St. Pete.

This needs to be a regional effort and would make me support such a project.

Taking the trains from airports through to cities was incredibly efficient and cost effective. I have no doubt tourism would increase if this was built.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Tampa, Fl
4,091 posts, read 6,016,957 times
Reputation: 3415
Here's the reason I wont support a regional plan: Everyone expects the City of Tampa to pay for their backwoods town to get access to the rail. I say Tampa focuses on Tampa. If other cities and unincorporated areas want access, they can pay for it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 01:04 PM
 
745 posts, read 801,562 times
Reputation: 695
Quote:
Originally Posted by dothetwist View Post
I strongly disagree about light rail. If you build it, they will use it. And the time to start building mass transportation is BEFORE it's necessary.

I moved to DC when Metro was still on the drawing boards. Lots of localities/states/feds involved...lots of naysayers back then.

But it's a success AND what happens is that as each station is built, businesses MOVE to it and it creates new business centers. Yes, initial stations are planned to serve existing business centers, but after everyone one sees how practical it is, the demand for more stations grow. You can bring your bike onboard, so you can bike from home to station, then bike from station to workplace.

At the time of initial planning there were localities and neighborhoods who fought tooth and nail against having a Metro stop near them...guess what?, these localities are begging for its expansion to them.

The newest line now serves Tyson's Corner and its terminus will be Dulles Airport; there's already a stop at National (Reagan) Airport.

BTW...housing prices for homes near a Metro stop sell for 25% higher AT LEAST than homes not near one.
DC cannot compare to Tampa, or even Atlanta.

HUGE worker density in DC, if you use it, you know how crazy L'Enfant and Metro Center are at rush hour, or Union station. Everyone's heading into the city, to a 3 square mile area.

You can't say that about Tampa.

The DC metro is successful because it goes from where people live to where they work, it's impossible to do that here
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 01:05 PM
 
745 posts, read 801,562 times
Reputation: 695
Quote:
Originally Posted by Annie of Oldsmar View Post
I agree with you. That Metro system in DC is fantastic.....
If Tampa had a business district with the worker density of DC, I would be in favor of it, but it dont...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 01:05 PM
 
Location: Central Mexico and Central Florida
7,150 posts, read 4,906,179 times
Reputation: 10444
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAniacTHW View Post
Here's the reason I wont support a regional plan: Everyone expects the City of Tampa to pay for their backwoods town to get access to the rail. I say Tampa focuses on Tampa. If other cities and unincorporated areas want access, they can pay for it.
Regional plan by definition would mean every locality would help fund it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 01:06 PM
 
745 posts, read 801,562 times
Reputation: 695
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAniacTHW View Post
For the people that are for mass transit, you'll be happy to know that the TECO streetcar is planning on expanding to the Westshore area. They're in the research phase now. I think it'll be cool when it's done.
No it's not...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-02-2015, 01:08 PM
 
745 posts, read 801,562 times
Reputation: 695
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAniacTHW View Post
Here's the reason I wont support a regional plan: Everyone expects the City of Tampa to pay for their backwoods town to get access to the rail. I say Tampa focuses on Tampa. If other cities and unincorporated areas want access, they can pay for it.
City of Tampa, by charter cannot spend a dime outside of city limits. I think this actually might be state law actually...

Counties however, can (and do) spend money on projects within city limits

So before you get up on your high horse about funding stuff, get your facts straight...

Maybe some of us in unincorporated areas are tired of fixing the city's stormwater issues or road issues, or... I could go on...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Florida > Tampa Bay

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:16 PM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top