KCRag Forum

Dec 9, 2020 Tampa Bay Awarded $67m FLDOT state grant to upgrade current 'historic' retro-streetcars to modern units, expand and upgrade line.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/regi ... %20history.

"InVision Project" is name of the expansion/upgrade. Once they made the habitually underperforming literal tourist trolley (shout out to all the Facebook boomers who live out in Blue Springs and refer to the KCstreetcar as such), free, ridership took off. Voters approved a TDD, however it is still pending before the FL Supreme Court whether it's legal or not. Here is an indepth report on the project. Lots of mentions of KC.

https://www.tampa.gov/capital_projects/ ... sion_study

https://www.tampa.gov/document/preferre ... 9-04-23781

s/o to DaveKCMO for tweeting about this.

I love the Tampa project, which is amazing since I generally dislike Florida and faux-retro streetcar lines. It's reasonably well-connected and positioned for expansion, and the modernization project speaks to that. Their governance model was studied (along with Portland and Seattle) when we were building the Streetcar Authority.

Charlotte's streetcar is similar, except the time from installing the retro streetcar to its modernization was much shorter: https://charlottenc.gov/cats/transit-pl ... fault.aspx

The local Tampa news has often referred to KC Streetcar as a more ideal system. And that's where they are heading.

normalthings wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:54 pm
Tampa looking at a 8.5 mile modern streetcar expansion. Hopefully we can pursue some big expansions too!

Plenary submitted an unsolicited proposal to Tampa for an 8.2 mile public private partnership streetcar development. City liked the idea and held a public RFP that Plenary responded to again. $700 million construction price tag with a $13 million O&M budget. Proposed opening in 2026

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/ne ... ntown.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/ne ... ntown.html

I started a thread about Tampa's proposed streetcar overhaul. Interesting that a third party is offering to 'manage' a new route for them unsolicited. Seems like after the proposed expansion they are working on the Tampa Airport would be the next reasonable stop, but not sure why what this company brings to the table. Transit to a city's airport really is a great tool for big conventions and conferences in town so everybody doesn't have to rent cars or uber everywhere. Just stinks that our airport is so far out.

Moving this over from the Phase 3 Streetcar Thread

I wonder if KC should look at the Tampa style proposal too.

I recall reading something about the desire of the firm that is in charge of the Brightline brand to develop multimodal transit stations in the heart of the cities throughout Florida that they serve. Any chance that the future plans to extend Brightline service into Tampa following the Orlando/Disney expansion are going to play into the planning & routing of the streetcar expansion here? If not that would surely be a giant missed opportunity.

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 23, 2020 3:14 am I recall reading something about the desire of the firm that is in charge of the Brightline brand to develop multimodal transit stations in the heart of the cities throughout Florida that they serve. Any chance that the future plans to extend Brightline service into Tampa following the Orlando/Disney expansion are going to play into the planning & routing of the streetcar expansion here? If not that would surely be a giant missed opportunity.

I guess they’d have to determine that as a part of the LPA. I would think it’s easier to bring streetcar to Brightline then the reverse.