The public reaction to the Florida Department of Transportation’s proposed Tampa Bay Express project that includes toll lanes on I-275 and I-4 has been mostly negative since being unveiled earlier this year. But despite the criticism, it doesn’t appear that the project is going to be sidelined anytime soon.
On Monday night, FDOT held an open house to show drawings and hear from community members regarding a 22-mile portion of the TBX plan on I-4 that would create toll lanes from east of 50th Street to the Polk Parkway in Hillsborough and Polk Counties.
“I have some concerns about the financial impact of this project,” said Tampa resident Laura Lawson. “Toll roads are not going to pay for the costs of the construction of this road.”
In fact, FDOT hasn’t identified the funding sources of the multibillion-dollar plan, which was the source of some discussion on Monday.
Although the attendance wasn’t as large as at some other public meetings regarding the TBX, many of the familiar faces from the group Sunshine Citizens were in attendance to once again register their disapproval, like Amanda Brown, who said it was “sad” to be speaking out once again. She questioned FDOT’s framing the idea of toll lanes as an additional “choice” for citizens.
“Our only choices are driving. It should include biking, walking and mass transit,” she said. “We need to go back to the drawing board and restudy what’s going on in this area. This is based on a 1990 study.”
Tim Smith supports the project. He said as someone who drives 25,000 miles a year in the Tampa Bay area, it’s important to find a way to relieve the stress of traffic, though he did say he also supports mass transit.
Gov. Rick Scott is known to be a big proponent of such toll lanes, as long as they don’t raise taxes. Most of the already-built express lanes are funded through bonds that are paid off by the tolls collected. But those bonds will certainly add more costs to the project. The Center for Investigative Reporting has reported that in Broward County, the Interstate 595 toll lanes were part of a $1.8 billion project; when the bonds are paid off in 10 years, it will cost about $4 billion more.
FDOT will be taking comments through October 29. They can be sent to [email protected].
