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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 8, 2011
TAMPA --
Just when many thought the discussion about rail was over, a Bay area organization is trying to get the conversation going again.
The Tampa Bay Partnership has launched a new website to help make that happen: TampaBayonTrack.org.
"We wanted to make it very easy for everyone to find out what they needed to know on transportation issues," Vice President Katie Franco said.
The organization said three things will keep the discussion going:
• The growth of the community
• The competitive advantage of transit-oriented development
• The lack of alternate routes
Planners have been looking 20 to 30 years into the future to see how transit can be better integrated into the community. Franco cites Westchase as a model.
"Where you can live and walk and work all in the same community," she said.
She also said that, in the current building slump, new construction for transit development means more jobs.
While the website is very pro-transit, organizers said they want all kinds of opinions.
"We want everyone to come to that site. It's a place to share your opinions," Franco said. "That's how we're going to move forward as a region, if we all keep talking."
Peter Eicher is one resident who would like to keep the conversation going about mass transit. He works in downtown Tampa and he said he is a big fan of mass transit.
"I'm all for it," he said. "I'm 100 percent for it. It surprises me a lot why people fear that, other than, the only thing I can think of is that they feel that money should be better spent on something else."
Eicher is referring to groups like No Tax For Tracks, who helped defeat light rail in Hillsborough County and lobbied Gov. Rick Scott to decline federal funds for high-speed rail.
He said he hopes to see more people talking about it again.
"I think it should be constantly brought up again and again and again, and I think it's something we should continue to moves towards."
Original article from Bay News 9
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