Free fares and more frequent service have resulted in a huge increase in ridership on the TECO Line Streetcar and proved skeptics wrong.
Angie Schmitt reports that ridership on Tampa’s streetcar has almost tripled in six months, thanks to a state grant of $2.7 million that allowed the city to make the streetcar free and increase service frequency.
The streetcar connects the Ybor City district to downtown Tampa, a 2.7-mile route, which now has about 1,700 daily riders. "That’s not a huge number, but it’s a far cry from when Tampa Bay Times columnist Sue Carlton called the streetcar, 'This city’s most charming boondoggle driven by what appear to be lonely Maytag repairmen,'" writes Schmitt.
The Downtown Looper in St. Petersburg, Florida, also received state funding that allowed for similar fare and service changes, and ridership is up on that system as well. While transit agencies in both cities are losing out on fare revenue, city officials say less congestion and more people spending money at local businesses make up for the losses.
FULL STORY: How Tampa Tripled Ridership on its Streetcar
Florida Supreme Court Voids County Tax That Included Transit Funding
A proposal from Gov. DeSantis would require Hillsborough County to return revenue collected from the tax to residents who paid it and bar the county from using any remaining funds on transit projects.
Tampa Streetcar: From Tourist Trap to Transit Lifeline
Despite the line’s reliability and success, funding for its future expansion and operations remains undetermined.
Free Transit Is Not a Silver Bullet
Cities around the country are embracing free fares to lure riders back to public transit, but the ridership recovery continues to sputter.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association