Free fares and more frequent service have resulted in a huge increase in ridership on the TECO Line Streetcar and proved skeptics wrong.
Angie Schmitt reports that ridership on Tampa’s streetcar has almost tripled in six months, thanks to a state grant of $2.7 million that allowed the city to make the streetcar free and increase service frequency.
The streetcar connects the Ybor City district to downtown Tampa, a 2.7-mile route, which now has about 1,700 daily riders. "That’s not a huge number, but it’s a far cry from when Tampa Bay Times columnist Sue Carlton called the streetcar, 'This city’s most charming boondoggle driven by what appear to be lonely Maytag repairmen,'" writes Schmitt.
The Downtown Looper in St. Petersburg, Florida, also received state funding that allowed for similar fare and service changes, and ridership is up on that system as well. While transit agencies in both cities are losing out on fare revenue, city officials say less congestion and more people spending money at local businesses make up for the losses.
FULL STORY: How Tampa Tripled Ridership on its Streetcar
Florida Supreme Court Voids County Tax That Included Transit Funding
A proposal from Gov. DeSantis would require Hillsborough County to return revenue collected from the tax to residents who paid it and bar the county from using any remaining funds on transit projects.
Tampa Streetcar: From Tourist Trap to Transit Lifeline
Despite the line’s reliability and success, funding for its future expansion and operations remains undetermined.
Free Transit Is Not a Silver Bullet
Cities around the country are embracing free fares to lure riders back to public transit, but the ridership recovery continues to sputter.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
What Trump’s Executive Orders Mean for US Housing Programs
Orders related to DEI and accessibility, among others, may threaten housing programs for those who need them most.
University of Hawai‘i Appoints New Architecture School Dean
The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has named Mo Zell as the new dean of its School of Architecture, bringing over two decades of experience in academia, innovative educational programs, and industry partnerships to advance design education.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research