In The News

Tampa Plugs Into D.O.E. Electric Car Charging Study

The Tampa Tribune Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tampa is one of 13 metropolitan cities selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to participate in a nationwide study on the use of electric car charging stations.

Charging stations will be installed at four area libraries, a downtown parking garage and the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission headquarters, according to The Tampa Tribune.

The D.O.E. plans to add more than 100 charging stations throughout the Tampa Bay area starting this year.

Read the complete story.

MoMA's 'Foreclosed' Series Features Temple Terrace

The New York Times Tuesday, May 03, 2011

A Museum of Modern Art program will highlight the plight of foreclosures in Temple Terrace and four metropolitan areas in the U.S.

"Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream" is the second program in MoMA's "Issues in Contemporary Architecture" series.

The 14-month program will give a team of five architects the opportunity to study five "megaregions" in hope of finding new paradigms of architecture, and regional and transportation planning, according to organizer Barry Bergdoll.

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Living Green Expo: St. Pete Teen's Bioreactor No. 1

St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Evie Sobczack, a ninth-grader at Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, earned first place honors at this year's Tampa Bay Living Green Expo.

Sobczack built bioreactors to enhance the growth of spirogyra algae. Using lipid oil extracted from the algae, she created a biodiesel fuel that not only runs hotter and longer, but is also better for cars and the environment.

She will represent the Southeast region of the U.S. at the International Sustainable World (Energy, Engineering, Environment) Project Olympiad in Houston this May.

Read the complete story.

Direct Air Sees Lakeland As "Gateway To Florida"

The Lakeland Ledger Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Lakeland Linder Regional Airport will soon be hosting flights from Myrtle Beach-based airline Direct Air.

Flights from Central Illinois, upper New York, Washington D.C. and South Carolina to Lakeland will begin on June 23.

Representatives from Direct Air hope the flights will prime Lakeland to become Florida's next tourism hub, according a recent article in The Lakeland Ledger.

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SRQ's Quest For International Flights Continues

SRQ Magazine Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport hopes it will be able to give a boost to the local economy with added international flights in 2012.

Flights from Germany's Condor Airlines and the Dutch airline Arkefly are currently being pursued, according to SRQ Magazine.

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Transit Planners Unveil Light Rail Route For Tampa

Tampa Bay Business Journal Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Hillsborough County transit planners have submitted a new proposal for a revised light rail line in Tampa.

The 12.4-mile line, currently estimated at $825 million, would connect Downtown Tampa to Tampa International Airport.

Federal and state sources, private partnerships and leases are among the funding options for the proposed rail.

Read the complete story.

Polk County Plots Potential Stop For High-Speed Rail

The Lakeland Ledger Tuesday, February 01, 2011

The Tampa-Orlando rail could be making a stop in Polk County at a yet-to-be determined location.

Currently planned stops include downtown Tampa, Walt Disney World, the Orange County Convention Center and Orlando International Airport, according to The Lakeland Ledger.

A fifth stop at either the University of South Florida Polytechnic, Kathleen Road and the Polk Parkway have been proposed.

Read the complete story.

Florida State Senate Rallies Around Country's First High-Speed Rail

The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Members of the Florida Senate are hoping private companies will step up to cover the $280 million construction bill for Florida's high-speed rail project.

Gov. Rick Scott has recently stated his reluctance to put state money toward the high-speed rail project.

Having the first high-speed rail system in the country should provide ample incentive for companies, according to comments made by state representatives in The St. Petersburg Times.

More than 20,000 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the project.

Read the complete story.

Florida's First All-Electric Car Dealer Picks St. Pete

USA Today Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Suncoast Electric Vehicles is preparing to open Florida's first electric-only car dealership.

Among the electric vehicles is the Wheego Whip LiFe, which is highway certified and reaches a 100-mile range per charge.

Automakers Think and Coda may possibly be sold at the dealership, according to a recent article in USA Today.

Read the complete story.

Siemens Demonstration Unveils Proposal For High-Speed Rail

WMNF Tuesday, October 26, 2010

German engineering giant Siemens recently unveiled its plans for the Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail.

A demonstration at the Museum of Science and Industry introduced the style of train and construction proposal for the project.

Siemens will enlist Skanska, FCC Construction and Veolia Transportation to build the tracks if it is chosen to construct the high-speed rail project.

Read the complete story.

Tampa Trib, St. Pete Times Endorse Penny Transportation Tax

St. Petersburg Times, The Tampa Tribune Tuesday, October 12, 2010

On Nov. 2 Hillsborough County residents will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed one-cent sales-tax increase to fund transportation enhancements.

The Tampa Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times editorialized in favor of the tax increase in their Oct. 3 editions.

A tax increase would result in a light-rail project connecting the University of South Florida to downtown Tampa, and west from downtown to West Shore and Tampa International Airport.

The increase would also fund bus expansions including 134 miles of new local routes and 315 miles of new express service connecting the areas of Brandon and New Tampa with the University of South Florida and Plant City.

Read the complete St. Petersburg Times editorial.

Read the complete Tampa Tribune editorial.

Tampa Chamber Tours New Light Rail System In Phoenix

ABC Action News Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Members of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce toured the new light rail system in Phoenix to better understand the potential impact of a proposed similar new system in Tampa, ABC Action News reporter Brendan McLaughlin reports.

Ridership in Phoenix far surpasses initial expectations as the light rail system becomes increasingly popular transportation for university students and downtown workers. Some 40,000 people per day ride the Phoenix trains.

In Tampa, the first legs of a proposed light rail system would connect the downtown business district with the University of South Florida and neighborhoods in North Tampa as well as to Tampa International Airport (TIA).

Watch the entire story.

Pinellas Explores Possibility Of Expanding Jolley Trolley

St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The nonprofit Jolley Trolley offers a unique transportation service for Clearwater Beach visitors for a fee of $1.75 per ride.

Now the trolley's directors are interested in expanding service to include downtown Clearwater, Dunedin, Honeymoon Island and tourist hot spots like the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks.

An annual operation fee of $150,000 is needed to make the service expansion a reality, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

Read the complete story.

Foreign Nations Compete For Tampa-Orlando High-Speed Rail Contract

The Florida Independent Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Six foreign companies are currently competing for the chance to lend their expertise to the construction and maintenance of the country's first high-speed rail line.

China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and Spain have sent representatives to Florida to make their pitch for a construction contract on the Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail.

The project will generate 5,000 jobs in construction, maintenance and operations, according to Florida Rail Enterprise Executive Director Kevin Thibault.

The Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail is slated to begin running by 2015.

Read the complete story.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Gains Midwest Service From Frontier

USA TODAY Tuesday, September 07, 2010

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) has gained a new airline.

Starting Nov. 18, Frontier Airlines will move its seasonal service between Milwaukee and Tampa International Airport to PIE.

Frontier will also begin offering nonstop flights from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International to Omaha running Jan. 16 through April 17. Service between Denver and Tampa will remain at Tampa International Airport.

Read the complete story.

Transportation : In The News