4305 East 21 St. Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33605-2300
Phone: (813) 623-5835 Fax - (813) 664-1119

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jill K. Cappadoro
Director of Marketing
(813) 223-6831

HART SEEKS $11.8 MILLION
TO PURCHASE BUSES

SEPTEMBER 3, 1999 - TAMPA, FLORIDA - Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) will hold a public hearing on Monday, September 13th, 1999 at 5:30 p.m. in Tampa City Council Chambers. The purpose of the meeting is to take public comments regarding proposed HART projects for FY 2000 for which federal funding is being requested. Individuals and groups are encouraged to present their views in person at this meeting, or in writing. Proposed projects represent the priorities of HART for which federal funding will be sought. Federal funding of these projects cannot be presumed, however, even if approved at the hearing as they are subjects of grant applications.

Highlights of the proposed projects list include $11,841,750 for the purchase of new buses, the largest single category of funds. There is $1,000,000 for an intelligent transportation system (ITS) to monitor the location and position of all buses in the fleet in real time. This system will allow for dispatchers to anticipate delays, notify drivers, and ultimately provide bus riders with up to the minute information on bus arrivals and departures. There is $7,000,000 for stations for the historic Tampa-Ybor streetcar project which begins construction this October. Also included in the programming of projects is $600,000 for special access to jobs services as a part of the welfare to work program.

There is $10,000,000 for environmental, preliminary design and engineering work related to rail transit development. This money will be used to answer question regarding cost and feasibility of the rail transit element of the adopted long range transportation plan.

Those who wish to provide comment but cannot attend the public hearing, or do not wish to speak, may do so by sending written comments to: Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Attn: Planning Dept., 4305 E. 21st Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. If no changes are made at this meeting, or based on comments submitted by the comment closing period of September 30th, 1999, this will become the final Program of Projects for fiscal year 2000.

-HART-