Tampa takes next step toward improving transit between USF and downtown
USF students are one step closer to accessible transportation to downtown Tampa.
The city of Tampa received a $1.75 million grant from the federal government on Tuesday to open a new accelerator office dedicated to improving public transit, according to a press release.
Those in the office include city mobility director Vik Bhide, chief budget officer Mike Perry and sustainability and resilience officer Whit Remer.
One of the goals for these funds is to build rapid transit between USF and downtown Tampa, according to the city’s grant application obtained by the Tampa Bay Times.
The project would look similar to the SunRunner in St. Pete, which provides bus transit for citizens.
The city requested $45 million for that project but is still waiting on approval. The project is estimated to cost around $50 million and take two years to complete.
Tuesday’s grant approval, which was administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau, is less than the initial $4 million the city requested, according to the application.
The office will also focus on expanding walking and biking routes in downtown Tampa. Other goals it hopes to achieve include:
- Offering transportation between Tampa International Airport and downtown Tampa
- Modernizing and expanding the routes of the yellow streetcars in Ybor and downtown Tampa
- Preparing Brightline rail routes to link to Tampa
- Upgrading the CSX South Tampa corridor
- Improving safety standards for cyclists
More Stories
USF rocket team takes flight in NASA competition despite challenges
In a field in Alabama, USF Society of Aeronautics and Rocketry members waited for Prometheus — the rocket they’d spent nine months crafting — to take flight. USF’s SOAR was among the 53 teams that launched their rockets for the NASA Student Launch in Huntsville on May 4. The USF team placed 18th after launching […]
USF international students navigate travel under new visa limitations
With a ban restricting visa issuance and entry into the U.S. in effect, USF student Arshia Esmaeilian said he is afraid his parents might not be able to see him graduate next year unless the ban is lifted. “I didn’t really ask for this,” said Esmaeilian, a senior chemistry major. “It’s just something I have […]
USF’s Marshall Student Center to reduce hours amid budget constraints
USF’s Marshall Student Center will operate under reduced hours starting in the upcoming fall semester. New operating hours will go into effect starting on Aug. 17 as listed below: Monday–Thursday: Changing from 7 a.m.–midnight to 8 a.m.–11 p.m. Friday: Changing from 7 a.m.–1 a.m. to 8 a.m.–midnight Saturday: Changing from 8 a.m.–1 a.m. to 8 […]
USF, Crisis Center step up hurricane prep as anxiety lingers from last season
With the arrival of hurricane season in Tampa, USF students – particularly those new to South Florida – may be experiencing increased stress or anxiety after the 2024 season. Running from June 1 to Nov. 30, hurricane season marks the period when tropical storms form and intensify in the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National […]
Hillsborough County to explore building sports complex at MOSI site
Another development project could soon be in the works at a rapidly changing area in Tampa. Hillsborough County Commissioners voted unanimously on May 7 to prioritize building an indoor sports complex at the Museum of Science and Industry site on Fowler Avenue. Though still in its early stages, the MOSI CEO and Temple Terrace mayor […]
USF’s Feed-A-Bull could see reduced food supply amid USDA cuts
USF’s Feed-A-Bull is a donation-based food pantry that helps students in need of food assistance. The pantry is primarily supplied by Feeding Tampa Bay, which helped launch the project in late 2015. With Feeding Tampa Bay expected to face cuts from the United States Department of Agriculture in the coming fiscal year, USF’s Feed-A-Bull could […]