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Status of Capital ProjectsThe HART bus system is primarily a hub and spoke system. It is based on a system of routes connecting at transfer/transit centers placed at various locations around the urban parts of Hillsborough County to allow easy connectivity between buses. HART is in the process of upgrading each of these transfer/transit centers to provide improved service, shelter, amenities, and appearance. In some cases this will mean totally new facilities; for others it will mean general upgrades. Examples of existing transit centers can be seen at the University Area Transit Center (UATC) located off 131st Avenue near the University of South Florida and the Marion Transit Center (MTC) located on the north end of downtown Tampa at Marion and Fortune Streets. The Marion Transit Center won a 2004 Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission Award of Excellence for outstanding Community Design. Many patrons make bus connections from one route to another on the street. HART is working to increase the number of shelters at all high use on-street stops on all routes. Bus landing pads are constructed where ridership does not warrant the placement of shelters. HART is working with other jurisdictions to address connectivity to and from the bus stops. In some situations where road configuration and right-of-way allows, pull-in bus bays are constructed to improve system efficiency and reduce traffic congestion. In fiscal year 2007, HART is beginning a detailed, system wide review of all its facilities including over 4,000 on-street bus stops to identify other improvements needed to meet ADA accessibility needs. Improvements identified during the study will be prioritized and a funding and implementation plan will be developed. The following projects are in various stages of design or construction. 1. NETP@RK Transfer Center Project HART is currently operating eight bus routes from a temporary location within the parking lot of Netp@rk, an office complex located south of Hillsborough Avenue along 56th Street – namely, Routes 6, 15, 32, 34, 37, 39, 41 and 57. Upgrades to the shelters and accessibility at the temporary facility were made in February 2006. A new facility is in construction east of the temporary location and will be completed and in operation by the summer of 2007. The new facility will include covered passenger waiting areas with seating, bus shelters, water fountain and public information kiosks, vending machines and public restrooms within a 1,020 square foot building. An on-street bus pull-in bay will be constructed on Harney Road south of and adjacent to the new transfer center.
2. Northwest Transit Center Project HART has operated a transfer center in the parking lot at Hanley and Waters Plaza. Seven routes make connections at this facility: local routes 16, 30, 34, 39, 41, and 88; and limited express route 59LX. While service continues at this location, the site no longer meets increasing transfer needs. The new Northwest Transfer Center will be located on West Waters Avenue, approximately ¼ mile northwest of Waters and Sheldon Road. The project will provide access from two major roadways, Sheldon Road and Waters Avenue with the installation of one new traffic signal and turning lane on Waters. The new facility features covered waiting areas, capacity for eight buses and vans to load simultaneously, a park–and-ride facility and a 1,020-square-foot facility with customer and employee restrooms, pay phones, vending machines and water fountains. Construction is scheduled to begin early 2007 with completion by late 2007. 3. West Tampa Transfer Center Project (formerly known as Tampa Bay Center Transfer Center) HART currently operates from an outdoor area west of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training facility (formerly the Tampa Bay Center shopping mall). Routes 7, 32, 36, 44 and 45 operate from this transfer center at present. The new transfer center will be located at the corner of Himes and Ohio Avenue. The new facility features covered waiting areas, capacity for five buses at the center and 4 staging areas on the perimeter to load simultaneously, a bus pull-in bay on Himes Avenue and a 1,020 square-foot-facility with customer and employee restrooms, payphones, vending machines and water fountains. Construction is scheduled to begin early 2007 with completion by late 2007. Shelter Program HART has placed a high priority on its work to increase the number of on-street bus stops that provide a clean, safe and comfortable waiting area for bus patrons that are fully accessible by persons with all abilities. We are currently installing two styles of shelters depending on the available right-of-way and patrons’ needs of the site. Examples of shelters at new locations installed in FY2006 are shown below.
The Slimline is covered by a 4 x 12 foot barrel-style roof with two-foot-wide tempered glass walls. The shelter is outfitted with seating, information kiosk and a trash receptacle. Most of the Slimline shelters are placed in urban conditions where street lighting is good; however, we are placing supplemental solar lighting in shelters where extra lighting is needed.
The Palladium has a 5 x 10 foot footprint with a hipped roof having a 14-inch dripline overhang. Seating, information kiosk, trash receptacle and solar lighting are also provided. Both styles feature the tempered glass panels that allow maximum visibility with a decorative Victorian ceramic pattern. These shelter styles are being purchased under competitively bid contracts resulting in a more economical price than the previous Key West style shelters that were built in place. The new shelter styles compliment the existing shelter inventory. Shelter installations are on the rise. In fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, HART installed 31 shelters on-street. Activity is up from FY05 installations of 22 shelters and FY04 installations of 12. More shelters are planned for the coming year. For updates on transit infrastructure construction and installation, please Click Here. Funding for the shelters program is provided by the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) of the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County, Florida state grants, federal grants, developer-required transit improvements and privately sponsored participation. In the summer of 2006, HART worked with the City of Tampa to revisit restrictions to placement of advertising in bus shelters. It has been agreed in principal that advertising at bus shelters will be allowed and the process to amend the City Ordinance has been initiated. It is anticipated that in early 2007, HART will solicit bids from advertisers to expand the shelter program throughout the service area while creating a revenue stream to enhance available funding. Public Transit Accessibility Improvements In conjunction with adding new shelters, HART continues to improve accessibility to the transit system by working with the City of Tampa, the City of Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County and the Florida Department of Transportation. HART incorporates accessibility improvements with new shelter and landing pad installations, and works with governmental jurisdictions and local developers to improve accessibility both within and leading to and from transit bus stops. Accessibility improvements may include new sidewalks, curb cuts and signage. This provides better access and ease of use of HART services. HART is committed to the installation of bus bays, shelters, benches and landing pads throughout its public transit system. HART also ensures that that sidewalk and curb cut improvements compliant with the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) (selected with input from neighborhood groups, civic associations, disabilities associations, businesses and consumer advisory committees) are added for accessibility. HART reviews roadway construction, as well as utility and sidewalk improvements by other jurisdictions to ensure ADA standards along our existing and future bus routes are met. HART also works with the private sector to accomplish accessibility improvements to the transit system. This is done through roadway, utility and land use reviews that lead to the inclusion of transit projects such as bus bay, shelter and landing pad projects including sidewalk connectivity.
In FY2006, HART installed a shelter adjacent to a bus bay on 22nd Street north of 31st Avenue in conjunction with the construction of a bus bay by the developer of Tampa Housing Authority HOPE VI residential project for this Belmont Heights neighborhood. HART also partnered with the University of Tampa and FDOT to incorporate a bus shelter and landing pad within the brick and wrought iron fencing around the new dormitory at Kennedy and Hyde Park. This unique shelter was completed in conjunction with the construction of the new dormitory opening in early 2007.
These are two examples of projects that HART has completed in partnership with the public/private sector. HART also plans to install new shelters on shelter pads from Kennedy to Brevard recently completed by Florida Department of Transportation as part of their rehabilitation project completed in September 2006. Shelter Recommendations We would like to receive your input as to where you believe the community would benefit from the addition of a new shelter. Click Here to send your comments. Streetcar Phase IIA The current TECO Line Streetcar System is a 2.3 mile single-track historic replica system linking downtown Tampa with the Channelside and Ybor City entertainment districts. The next phase is a proposal to extend the system to the core of the central business district--from the Southern Transportation Plaza north to the vicinity of Whiting Street. HART is currently preparing the environmental assessment for this extension. Upon completion of the NEPA process and receipt of the necessary approvals, advanced engineering will commence.
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