Privately funded high speed rail project nears finish

What seemed to be a dream that many believed would eventually fade away is well on its way to becoming a reality. In 2011, Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) announced plans for a privately funded passenger rail system envisioned to transform the way people travel throughout Florida. Despite years of anti-rail opposition, operations are expected to start before the end of the year on ambitious project that combines rail transit with transit oriented development. Here is a brief overview of where the $3 billion privately funded passenger rail project currently stands.

Tampa

Reaching Tampa presents some challenges because the infrastructure base to reach the bay area does not exist. Thus, a potential station site has not been identified. With that in mind, here are three areas where a potential hub could possibly be considered in the future.

Westshore Multimodal Center

The Westshore Regional Multimodal Center (WRMC) is a proposed intermodal transit center in Tampa’s Westshore Business District. With more than 54,000 jobs, Westshore is one of the largest employment centers in the Southeast United States. The WRMC would improve connections between Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, serving as a hub for local and regional buses, taxis, hotel shuttles and a future rail system. A Project Development & Environment (PD&E) study for the proposed transit center was conducted in 2014.

Courtesy of planhillsborough.org at https://www.planhillsborough.org/westshore-intermodal-center-location-study-2012/

Courtesy of Akins Global

Tampa Union Station

Opened on May 15, 1912, Tampa Union Station was originally built to combine passenger operations for the Atlantic Coast Line, the Seaboard Air Line and the Tampa Northern Railroad at a single location. Located on the east side of downtown on track owned and operated by CSX, the station is utilized by Amtrak’s Silver Star line today. Originally built with eight tracks, only one is in regular use today.

Marion Transit Center

If the Florida High Speed Rail Corridor would have been built, it would have utilized the median of I-4 to connect Orlando and Tampa. That route would have included a new rail station adjacent to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit’s (HART) Marion Transit Center and I-275 near Tampa Heights.

Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Davis is a certified senior planner and graduate of Florida A&M University. He is the author of the award winning books “Reclaiming Jacksonville,” “Cohen Brothers: The Big Store” and “Images of Modern America: Jacksonville.” Davis has served with various organizations committed to improving urban communities, including the American Planning Association and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. A 2013 Next City Vanguard, Davis is the co-founder of Metro Jacksonville.com and ModernCities.com — two websites dedicated to promoting fiscally sustainable communities — and Transform Jax, a tactical urbanist group. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com