MetroRapid is Coming to Tampa

HART MetroRapid will help improve travel along selected service corridors with enhancements that increase the speed of transit, improve service reliability and make it easier for people to use transit.

MetroRapid features include bus preferential treatments (traffic signal priority, off-vehicle ticket vending machines), enhanced passenger stations, and special low-floor buses.

Rendering of HART MetroRapid bus

HART MetroRapid system will feature fewer stops, high frequency and advanced technology to help travelers get to their destinations quickly and conveniently.

How will it work?

• Sleek new vehicles offer a comfortable ride for passengers and drivers
• New, modern station stops
• Transit Signal Priority holds green lights and shortens red lights for MetroRapid buses as they approach the intersection. TSP provides a 15 percent travel-time savings, and MetroRapid buses are estimated to travel the 17.5-mile North-South route in under an hour.

• Ticket Vending Machines at major stations to speed boarding

• Bicycle racks at each station

Click the maps below to find out how the project affects your community by City Council, County Commission districts and zipcode.

MetroRapid North-South:

The MetroRapid North-South will run north on Nebraska Avenue from downtown Tampa then east along Fletcher Avenue to the vicinity of Telecom Park (west of I-75). A new park and ride facility is planned in the Fletcher Avenue/I-75 area. Several community meetings were held throughout the design phases to provide residents and businesses with details about the project and an opportunity to receive their feedback.

Final design for this project is complete, and construction started August 2012. The system is scheduled to be operational in June 2013.

Construction Update - 3/04/13 (Photos)

Funding:

Hillsborough County Community Investment Tax is funding the design and construction phases of the MetroRapid N-S project. HART is proud to report that a June 2012 review of the original project estimate of $31 million determined that this project is under budget by $5.7 million. This funding has been reallocated back to Hillsborough County for its infrastructure needs, if desired. CIT funding is only earmarked for capital improvement costs, and cannot be reallocated for operational costs, such as bus routes.

MetroRapid North-South Fast Facts

MetroRapid North-South Station-by-Station Construction Progress Map – 3/14/2013

MetroRapid North-South Station Type

MetroRapid North-South TSP Map

MetroRapid North-South Groundbreaking Ceremony video

Summary of Interagency Work Group Meeting for North-South MetroRapid

Final Bid Set for MetroRapid North-South (new) - Four parts