$6 billion Tampa Bay Express approved by local planning organization

The Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which sets transportation policy for the Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City and unincorporated Hillsborough County, voted to keep the Tampa Bay Express (TBX) on its current path to completion, according to a report by the Tampa Bay Times.

The $6 billion TBX will add toll lanes to roughly 90 miles of the interstates around the Tampa area, including I-4 and I-275. It consists of 10 express lanes on seven corridors and interchanges, which cannot be used by trucks. TBX toll lanes will not be based on set prices, but will instead fluctuate with demand and traffic levels.

The MPO approved the TBX as part of its Transportation Improvement Program and added two amendments that call for more communication between itself and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), such as quarterly reports and updates on the project’s impact on people in the area.

FDOT held a series of open houses in May and earlier this month to provide more information to the public and to receive feedback.

More information on the Tampa Bay Express project is available at http://www.tampabaynext.com/.