TBARTA Focus: Cost-Effective Transportation

Three independent organizations recently teamed up to identify the most cost-effective strategies for improving the nation's transportation system -- something the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) has been working on locally for nearly four years.

"Part of our core mission is providing money-saving alternatives and options for citizens," says Bob Clifford, executive director at TBARTA. "The strategies outlined in this report are precisely the kinds of cost-effective solutions that we at TBARTA recognize as being vitally important to our region's future."

The strategies, known as "Seven Transportation Improvements Everyone Can Agree On," were outlined in a report entitled "The Most for Our Money: Taxpayer-Friendly Solutions for the Nation's Transportation Challenges" and was developed by the Reason Foundation, Transportation for America and Taxpayers for Common Sense, three entities that don't always agree.

"It's really interesting that these organizations have found unity on these specific issues," says Clifford. "They're basically saying 'we need to do be doing these things.' "

Of the seven improvements -- transportation scenario planning, high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, bus rapid transit (BRT), intelligent transportation systems, inner-city buses, telework and local street connectivity-- TBARTA has found ways to implement five of the "tax-friendly" alternatives.

"TBARTA has already been working on transportation scenario planning, telework, street connectivity, HOT lanes and BRT within our present planning and Master Plan, working with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on studying and how to implement these within the region," says Clifford. "These solutions provide incremental improvements for all of us in terms of travel times and delays-- they're real-time, short-term, cost-effective solutions."

For more information on these solutions, visit TBARTA's website or click here to view the report.

Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Bob Clifford, TBARTA