Why is TBX such a bad plan?
TBX is really about ethical and unethical, it’s about a strong future or going backwards. TBX’s lexus lanes are a perfect example of lobbying at its finest, and implementing a system that will truly rip off the citizens of dense urban areas who don’t have transit options for a very long time. Unless everyone understands what the project actually is.
Lexus Lanes
The proposed toll lanes in the Tampa Bay Express plan are dynamically priced toll lanes. The price of these lanes goes up and down depending on congestion (up to $2 or $3 per mile, not per trip). If you are traveling nearly 70 miles per hour for any distance on the interstate, think about how quickly $2 per mile will add up. It will cost nearly a second mortgage payment ($700 per month) to use these lanes to bypass traffic on a monthly basis. At a 9 billion dollar price tag, TBX offers nothing to actually fix congestion for the long term in Tampa Bay. Why is our region even considering these HOT or Lexus Lanes? Because of the Reason Foundation, and Rick Scott.
Resources and articles:
HOT Lanes Make My Blood Boil: Fast Tracks for the Rich on the Rise
Even Lexus drivers can’t afford these tolls
Our Historic Districts are Threatened
The interstate was a terrible design in the 1960’s, as it sliced through communities and neighborhoods. These communities have been on a slow path to recovery for fifty years, and the Tampa Bay Express project aims to destroy our communities once again.
Some historical buildings in the path to be removed through eminent domain:
La Segunda Bakery
A portion of Water Works Park in Tampa Heights
The Tampa Heights Community Garden and Junior Civic Association
Cafe Hey and the Tampa Heights Mural
See a full list of buildings and landmarks here
Resources:
Transforming Tampa Bay: Their way or the highway? Tampa Heights faces an intrusive freeway expansion
TBX is a fiscal nightmare. Costing Tax Payers millions with no return.
Transit would be a wiser investment.
Many politicians and reporters will say that Tampa Bay and Pinellas voted against light rail. This is not true, the people voted against a tax, no one has ever voted on transit.
FDOT states that TBX makes room for future premium transit and BRT, however if you look at the details of the master plan, transit is not included in it.
Tampa Bay Express goes against MPO’s own imagine 2040 plan
The people of Tampa Bay have given their input on the future. The imagine 2040 plan gathered input from Tampa Bay area residents starting in 2013, and the participants have stated that Tampa Bay needs multi modal transportation.
Tampa Bay Express is a Reason.org Project
Reason paved toll lanes in Los Angeles in the late 1980’s, these toll lanes did nothing to help L.A.’s traffic problem. L.A. is still number one for most congested highways in the nation. Robert Poole has articles written all over the internet and printed publications about HOT lanes, which he explained are “Dynamically priced toll lanes effectively combat traffic congestion.” What Robert Poole fails to realize is that he’s sold a money-making machine to road builders to create more congestion, and force drivers to pay for a flow of traffic. It’s price gouging at it’s finest, and terrible for the future of our cities. Think about it, if road builders build more roads so more cars are on the road (do not give people another option) then charge drivers to move in new lanes that are built, there is a guaranteed money making machine for the toll authorities. Why would they ever give us another option other than to drive a car?
Reason is a libertarian think tank that is aimed at providing contracts and jobs to it’s own network of lobbyists. The organization does not help the public, nor the future of transportation. Reason.org’s principles and values revolve around keeping more cars on the road and creating congestion to make it falsely look like they have a solution to beat it. It’s like a pharmaceutical company pumping every human full of a virus to sell the drug to cure it. If you can afford it you live!
The top urban designers in the world say this is the wrong direction
If you aren’t leading, you are doing it wrong. TBX goes agains what the leaders in transportation and urban design are explaining is the right direction. In fact, it is the complete opposite.
Donald Shoupe
Brent Todarian
Jeff Speck
Our own elected officials have made a promise.
Enter Les Millers Aug. 8th statement here
Our community speaks out:
On MPO’s Responsibility:
On Transit:
Full Transcript August 4 2015 – STOP TBX
View more public comments from August 4th »
August 4th Lobby: Packed the house!
FDOT is bullying our Planning Commission
With pressure from Reason, and Tallahassee, FDOT has withheld funding and threatened our own planning commission over TBX. This unethical behavior….
These lanes would cost a second mortgage to use.
700 dollars per month is what the cost of use would tally up to.
Building just to build, removing exits, making things more inefficient than ever.
Toll lanes have boomed across Florida since Rick Scott has been in office
Rick Scott returned funds for a high speed rail which would have helped provide our region with funds for light rail connectivity as well. Since these federal funds were returned (which he later said was a mistake), Florida has been on an ineffective toll road addiction. It’s completely the opposite of what would be a sustainable form of transportation.
Dynamic Toll Lanes haven’t worked in Miami – People are outraged
Expect to pay 10.50 to enter an express lane and remain in stand-still congested traffic. This is what Miami has been dealing with since their toll lanes were opened in 2014.
Resources:
We need your help. Step through these easy links with actions that we need for all citizens of the Tampa Bay region to take:
1) Contact Officials
2) Turn Out and Speak Up Against TBX
2) Volunteer and Join Actions
3) Stay in Touch- Social Media and Email Alerts
4) Downloads
Please help us fight for the future we want- one with true multi modal transportation and safe walkable communities. It starts with YOU contacting the Metropolitan Planning Organization and requesting that they remove TBX from the TIP! Thank you.
