Despite the line’s reliability and success, funding for its future expansion and operations remains undetermined.

An article in the Tampa Bay Times by Olivia George profiles Tampa’s TECO Line Streetcar, which opened in 2002 and became fare-free in 2018. Since then, the neighborhoods along the streetcar line have transformed as the city became one of the nation’s hottest housing markets.
“Celebrating its 20th birthday this month, the TECO Line Streetcar has evolved from a charming yet oft-disparaged tourist attraction into one of the county’s few reliable public transit options for those lucky enough to benefit from its 2.7-mile footprint.” Advocates want to see the system extended to benefit more commuters in the highly congested city, but the city has been unable to match a $67.3 million state grant received in 2020, and future funding for the operating agency, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, is uncertain.
The streetcar is somewhat of a beacon in an unreliable transit landscape, George writes. While local buses are often late, delayed by regular traffic and mechanical failures, “The streetcar comes every 15 minutes and operates until 2 a.m. on weekends. Next year, the cars will run every 12 minutes on weekends. The county transit agency wants to further boost efficiency by increasing signal priorities and preemption to ensure frequency is maintained.”
FULL STORY: After 20 years, Tampa’s streetcar is a front row seat to downtown’s rebirth.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.

Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.

Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
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