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Proponents of a regional passenger rail system in Tampa Bay frustrated with a lack of progress need only look to the area's past transportation improvements for perspective on just how much patience these projects require.
In the Sunday, Jan. 1, edition of the Tampa Bay Times, Craig Pittman and Caryn Baird wrote an excellent history of Pinellas County to mark its 100th anniversary titled “The More Things Change.” Pittman and Baird stressed the role transportation played in the county's history, including its creation in 1912. Led by newspaper publisher W.L. Straub, Pinellas split from Hillsborough County over the lack of adequate roads on the Pinellas peninsula compared to those in Tampa. Straub launched his call for separation in 1907 after witnessing the slights for years prior.
 The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in 1954. Photo by Burgert Brothers.
Other milestones also were slow to come. The Gandy Bridge, which cut the trip from Tampa to St. Petersburg by five hours by car, wasn't built until 1924, more than two decades after it was first envisioned. The first incarnation of the Sunshine Skyway didn't come until 1954, three decades after the idea was first broached. And those projects were completed when there was a whole lot less red tape.
In more recent times, transportation projects in other areas of the Bay Area have been slow to come to fruition. Trolley lines reappeared in Ybor City in 2002 after 18 years of talks. The Veterans Expressway took more than two decades of planning, and the Selmon Expressway was completed 26 years after it was initially proposed. The Interstate 4 and Selmon Connector now under construction was 20 years in the making.
While rail boosters may think the Hillsborough County voters who rejected the penny tax for light rail, improved bus service and better roads are short-sighted, they shouldn't dwell on the past. As long as they remain vigilant, speak to the right people, and continue to gain public support, their dream for a regional rail network in Tampa Bay will come.
Pittman and Baird concluded their article by looking toward Pinellas County's future and the possibility of a passenger rail line there. Advocates want the issue to go to referendum next year. But even if it doesn't make it, rail backers should keep their faith. These things take time.
From The Streets is a series written by members of the community that looks at transportation in the Tampa Bay area. Chris Berger is a historic preservation consultant from Brandon. You can find more about his work at the Gator Preservationist.
Previous From The Streets posts include Complete Streets policies and interviews with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and St. Petersburg Councilmember Leslie Curran.
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