(c) Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) (Councilmember Rice)

Transcription

1 April 12, :00 PM A. Meeting Called t Order and Rll Call. Invcatin and Pledge t the Flag f the United States f America. B. Apprval f Agenda with Additins and Deletins. C. Awards and Presentatins 1. Sunshine Film Festival Presentatin 2. USFSP Student Gvernment Day 3. Earth Day Prclamatin 4. Water Cnservatin Mnth Prclamatin D. Intergvernmental Reprts 1. Land Use & Transprtatin (a) Frward Pinellas (b) Tampa Bay Transprtatin Management Area (TBTMA) ( Cuncilmember Rice) (c) Pinellas Suncast Transit Authrity (PSTA) (Cuncilmember Rice) 2. Hmeless Leadership Bard 3. Public Arts Cmmissin 4. Tampa Bay Reginal Planning Cuncil E. Legal 1. Annuncement f an Attrney-Client Sessin, pursuant t Flrida Statute (8), t be held n Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. r sn thereafter, in cnjunctin with the lawsuit styled Suncast Waterkeeper, Our Childrens Earth Fundatin, and Eclgical Rights Fundatin, Case N: 8:16-cv-3319-JDW-AEP. F. Adjurnment

2 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PRESENTATION DATE: March 21, 2018 TO: The Hnrable Members f City Cuncil SUBJECT: Sunshine Film Festival PRESENTER: Chris Eatn SCHEDULE FOR COUNCIL ON: April 12, 2018 Darden Rice Cuncil Member, District 4

3 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PRESENTATION April 2, 2018 TO: SUBJECT: PRESENTER: The Hnrable Members f City Cuncil USFSP Student Gvernment Day Mayr, Deputy Mayr, r City Administratr SCHEDULE FOR COUNCIL ON: Agenda f APRIL 12, 2018 Rick Kriseman Mayr

4 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PRESENTATION April 2, 2018 TO: SUBJECT: PRESENTER: The Hnrable Members f City Cuncil Earth Day Prclamatin Mayr, Deputy Mayr, r City Administratr SCHEDULE FOR COUNCIL ON: Agenda f APRIL 12, 2018 Rick Kriseman Mayr

5 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA PRESENTATION April 2, 2018 TO: SUBJECT: PRESENTER: The Hnrable Members f City Cuncil Water Cnservatin Mnth Prclamatin Mayr, Deputy Mayr, r City Administratr SCHEDULE FOR COUNCIL ON: Agenda f APRIL 12, 2018 Rick Kriseman Mayr

6 Land Use & Transprtatin Reprt D-1

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14 Mayr s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisry Cmmittee Prjects Summary Reprt April 2, Cmplete Streets a. Implementatin Plan i. The City f St. Petersburg adpted a Cmplete Streets Plicy n Nvember 2, 2015 (#020400) t encurage streets that are safe and cnvenient fr all users f the radway. Steps the City will pursue t achieve a netwrk f Cmplete Streets in St. Petersburg. ii. Effrts twards creating a Cmplete Streets Implementatin Plan have been underway since early Thse effrts include establishing the mdal pririty and desired peratinal speeds t meet the given r desired land use character fr crridrs citywide, identifying needed physical mdificatins t make walking and bicycling safe and cmfrtable chices, and priritizing actins needed t build the identified imprvements and enact the needed changes t City cdes and prcesses. iii. Extensive public invlvement has included fur public wrkshps in March 2017, an nline survey, a public pen huse, bus and bicycle turs, stakehlder meetings, numerus presentatins t cmmunity grups, and City Cuncil cmmittee reviews. Draft materials are available fr review n the City s website. The plan dcument is currently in prductin and expected t be presented t the Cuncil Husing, Land Use, and Transprtatin Cmmittee n April 26, and fr Cuncil apprval shrtly thereafter. [updated March 16, 2018] iv. The Cmplete Streets Cmmittee established thrugh the plicy represents a diverse set f City departments and cmmunity rganizatins. The Cmmittee serves as the prject steering cmmittee thrugh plan develpment and that rle will cntinue thrugh implementatin. b. MLK, Jr. Street Resurfacing Cmplete Streets Pilt Prject [updated March 20, 2018] i. The City plans t mill and resurface Dr. M.L. King, Jr. Street frm apprximately 5 th Avenue N t 34 th Avenue N in spring ii. Resurfacing prvides an pprtunity, thrugh ur Cmplete Streets Prgram, t implement changes t the radway striping that enable a street t be safer while cntinuing t mve peple acrss several mdes and supprt business needs alng the crridr. iii. Public engagement with cmmunity and City advisry grups identified the fllwing cncerns and desires fr the crridr: 1. Reduce excessive speeding while maintaining travel time reliability 2. Add and imprve pedestrian crssings fr residents and fr business access 3. Create a cntinuus and cmfrtable bicycle facility fr the crridr 4. Retain n street parking between 5 th Avenue N and 7 th Avenue N iv. Resulting recmmendatins mving frward have been apprved by Cmplete Streets Cmmittee and Mayr s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisry Cmmittee, and include: 1. Mid-blck pedestrian crssings increased frm 1 t 5, and t include median refuges 2. Remval f ne travel lane t bth reduce perating speeds and prvide space fr cmfrtable bicycle lanes a. Remve ne lane nrthbund between 5 th Avenue N and 11 th Avenue N b. Remve ne lane suthbund between 11 th Avenue N and 30 th Avenue N 3. Buffered bike lanes t be included frm 7 th Avenue N t 30 th Avenue N Page 1 f 11

15 v. Traffic analysis cmpleted indicates that: 1. Design mving frward retains the same intersectin Level f Service fr mtr vehicles as exists tday 2. Mtr vehicle speeds will be decreased, particularly suthbund 3. Bicyclist travel time will be decreased frm 18 minutes t 9-11 minutes, alng with a decreased Level f Traffic Stress 4. Mtr vehicle travel time will be increased frm 5 minutes t 6-1/2 minutes at the very busiest time f the day vi. Next steps 1. Final design plans fr cnstructin being develped 2. Meeting scheduled t fllw up with neighbrhd assciatins, April 5, 2018 at St. Paul Cathlic Schl Cafeteria, th Street N 3. Resurfacing cnstructin anticipated in spring 2018 t include new asphalt surface and paint 4. Vertical elements t include medians, enhanced crsswalks, and any vertical buffers fr the bike lanes t be cnstructed later in 2018 c. Frward Pinellas Cmplete Streets Prgram. Frward Pinellas has created a prgram t fund cncept planning, design, r cnstructin prjects that encurage the implementatin f Cmplete Streets prjects that meet the needs f all radway users and that help t reinfrce desired land use and redevelpment activities that meet criteria identified in the adpted Cuntywide Land Use Plan. i. In December 2016, the City submitted tw prject applicatins, ne in each funding categry fr cnsideratin within the Frward Pinellas Cmplete Streets Prgram. $1 Millin f cnstructin funding was apprved fr the Skyway Marina District 34 th Street Suth Sidewalk Imprvements cnstructin prject, t be cmpleted when the radway is resurfaced in a few years. The Suth St. Petersburg East-West Transprtatin Netwrk Actin Plan planning study was nt selected fr funding. ii. In December 2017, the City submitted an updated prject applicatin fr the Suth St. Petersburg East-West Transprtatin Netwrk Actin Plan planning study. The study was again nt selected fr funding under the Frward Pinellas prgram. [updated March 13, 2018] Page 2 f 11

16 2. Trail Facilities a. Pinellas Trail i. Trail lighting A pilt prject t install pedestrian-scale lighting n the Pinellas Trail between 20 th Street and 24 th Street is in design and is expected t be cnstructed in b. Bayway Trail i. Bayway Trail Suth (SR 679) FDOT is currently designing multiple imprvements fr SR 679, cnnecting SR 682 and Tierra Verde. The imprvements include a 12 wide trail n the east side f SR 679 t eventually cnnect with the trail leading t Frt De St. The radway resurfacing will als intrduce sidewalks n the west side, shulders, and sectins f bike lane. The prject als includes replacement f the existing tw-lane mvable bridge with a tw-lane, high-level, and fixed-span bridge. Instead f a traffic signal, a rundabut will be prvided at the suth side f the bridge at the intersectin f Madnna Blvd/First Street. An pen huse cvering the cmbined prjects was held in April 2017 and preliminary engineering was cmpleted in A design/build firm t finalize design and cnstruct the prjects is expected t be selected in early 2018 with cnstructin expected t begin in c. Bker Creek Trail i. Histric Bker Creek Trail Lp 1. Phase IIA cnnecting Campbell Park t 3 rd Street a. The bardwalk-style path thrugh Wdbrk and Rser Parks has been placed n hld until such time that a related pprtunity can be further develped. FDOT s wrk prgram includes a capital prject t replace the MLK Street Bridge ver Bker Creek, which can include accmmdatin f the trail under the recnstructed bridge. Ruting the trail under the bridge remves the expensive and steep sectin f trail that wuld have been required and als remves the need fr trail users t crss MLK Street at a signal. Design f the bridge has begun with an estimated cmpletin in July Cnstructin funds fr the bridge have been prgrammed fr Cnstructin f a trail with an alignment under the recnstructed bridge will need t be planned and funded as a future prject. [updated March 20, 2018] b. The funding set aside fr this prject is instead being used t create a separated bikeway alng the suth side f 6 th Avenue S between MLK Street and 4 th Street, as envisined in the Innvatin District Streetscape and Cnnectivity Plan. Pending Cuncil apprval f the design cntract, detailed design shuld begin in late spring The sectin between 4 th Street and 3 rd Street will be designed with the Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit prject which is anticipated in FY19/FY20. [updated March 16, 2018] 2. Phase IIB USFSP/Baybr Cnstructin has been cmpleted fr the sectins f the trail alng the east side f 3 rd Street frm 11 th Avenue Suth t 6 th Avenue Suth. Cnstructin f the trail alng the east side f 1 st Street frm 6 th Avenue Suth t 5 th Avenue/Dali Bulevard Suth is nearing cmpletin. 3. Phase IIC Waterfrnt Resurfacing and striping f the n-street prtin alng Bay Shre Dr. has been cmpleted. Additinal elements, including green paint, planters, and wayfinding signage are currently being designed with installatin expected fr late spring [updated March 13, 2018] ii. Campbell Park - Cnstructin is nearing cmpletin f the St. Petersburg Reginal Skate Park alng the west/suth band f Bker Creek thrugh Campbell Park. Plans fr the Page 3 f 11

17 Skate Park have been mdified such that a trail bypass is n lnger necessary; events at the park shuld nt interfere with trail peratins. [updated March 13, 2018] iii. Bker Creek Trail Nrth - The CSX rail crridr was identified as a future trail crridr n the 2003 City Trails plan between 1st Avenue Suth and Bker Creek Park at 13th Avenue Nrth. The Frward Pinellas MPO plan shws a future trail cntinuing up the rail crridr t the Lealman area, and the segment is als shwn n the reginal trails planning maps managed TBARTA and the Opprtunity Maps managed by the State Office f Greenways and Trails. The CSX rail crridr is still wned by the railrad, and the City has explred purchasing the prperty utright, but fund it t be cst prhibitive. FDOT District 7 has initiated their Reginal Premium Transit Study t identify reginal transit pprtunities, which include the ptential fr cmmuter rail n the crridr. The current apprach is t incrprate trail cnstructin int pssible future reginal transit plans fr the crridr. d. Treasure Island Causeway Trail cnnecting the Pinellas Trail t Treasure Island. i. Phase I Pinellas Trail Cnnectin Phase I includes a cncrete path east f the bridges with a tw-way prtected bike lane n 1 st Avenue Suth. It als includes wayfinding signs with pavement markings in the sectin west f the first bridge. Cnstructin has been substantially cmplete. Several ptential design tweaks are currently being reviewed t address cmmunity feedback, t be implemented later in [updated March 13, 2018] ii. Phase II Central Avenue The secnd phase f the prject will add separated path alng the nrth side f Central Ave adjacent t Causeway Isles. Design was just initiated and is expected t be cmpleted in The FDOT Draft Tentative Wrk Prgram includes cnstructin funding in their FY19 budget; pending apprval f their budget later this spring, it is anticipated that cnstructin can begin as sn as design is cmpleted and wuld be dne cncurrent with ther radway and drainage imprvements alng Central Avenue. e. Gateway Area Trails. Cnversatins have begun with Gateway area businesses n hw t imprve access t the trail. In additin t the belw trail segments that are currently prgressing, Frward Pinellas will sn undertake the develpment f a Gateway Area Master Plan t address brader land use and transprtatin pprtunities in the area, which will include the identificatin and plan fr funding f future trail facilities. i. Rsevelt Bulevard Trail - FDOT has cmpleted cnstructin f a new trail n the east/nrth side f the radway in cnjunctin with the resurfacing prject. The radway resurfacing will als include shulder and sectins f shulder/bike lane. The trail frms a segment f the eastern leg f the Pinellas Trail Lp. ii. Gandy Blvd Trail segments are being created alng the Gandy Blvd crridr 1. The segment west f 4 th Street is being pursued as a part f the varius radway cnstructin prjects currently underway that are creating grade separated interchanges with the lcal streets. [updated March 13, 2018] 2. The segment east f 4 th Street is being pursued as a part f the radway cnstructin prjects, as well as a part f the SUN Trail prgram being a link in the Flrida Gulf Cast Trail (see later in this dcument fr details f the SUN Trail prgram). [updated March 13, 2018] iii. 28 th Street The City has identified funding t develp a trail alng the east side f 28 th Street frm Gandy Blvd t 118 th Avenue Nrth. Design is anticipated t begin in iv. Frward Pinellas has identified a cnceptual Gateway Trail Crridr that wuld generally cnnect Lealman t the Gateway Area. Alignments need t be studied, but include a ptential trail cnnectin frm Je s Creek Park t Sawgrass Lake Park, the frthcming trail alng Gandy Blvd, and cntinuing t a future new trail bridge ver Tampa Bay. Pinellas Cunty Planning staff has initiated a Linking Lealman plan fcused n the Lealman CRA, which seeks t address bth Cmplete Streets as well as this prpsed reginal trail crridr. [updated March 13, 2018] Page 4 f 11

18 v. Hward Frankland Bridge Trail. FDOT is wrking t replace the nrthbund span f the Hward Frankland Bridge which is nearing the end f its useful life. Based n requests by MPOs n bth sides f the Bay, the new cncept fr the bridge replacement includes a bicycle/pedestrian trail n the nrth side f the bridge. FDOT staff is wrking with staff frm the City, Cunty, and Frward Pinellas t develp trail cnnectins t the trail n the bridge s that it s mre readily accessible nce cnstructin is cmpleted. In February 2018, the Frward Pinellas BPAC endrsed 4 th Street as the preferred cnnectin rute t the new Hward Frankland Bridge Trail, with a cnnectin t Ulmertn Rad being identified as als desirable but a secnd pririty. [updated March 13, 2018] vi. Gandy Bridge Trail. FDOT has begun scping t replace the nrthbund span f the Gandy Bridge which is nearing the end f its useful life. Fllwing the demlitin f the Friendship Trail Bridge, the new cncept fr the bridge replacement includes a bicycle/pedestrian trail n the new structure. [updated March 26, 2018] f. Flrida SUN Trail Netwrk - The State f Flrida has made $25M available each year fr cnstructin f selected reginal trails identified as a part f the Shared Use Nn-mtrized (SUN) Trail netwrk. Tw f the statewide trails start in dwntwn St. Petersburg. i. Cast-t-Cast (C2C) Trail - The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail serves as the western terminus f the Cast-t-Cast (C2C) Trail, which is the highest pririty trail in the state. The prtin f C2C Trail within the City is cmpleted, ntwithstanding amenities that may be added t supprt lng distance travel. ii. Flrida Gulf Cast Trail - The Nrth Bay Trail, als knwn as the eastern leg f the Pinellas Trail Lp, serves as the nrthern terminus f the currently re-named Flrida Gulf Cast Trail, which a trail cncept cnnecting between Pinellas and Cllier Cunties. 1. Funding fr the gaps in this segment f the Pinellas Trail Lp has been previusly pursued unsuccessfully via the USDOT s TIGER grant prgram. In crdinatin with City and Frward Pinellas, Pinellas Cunty Public Wrks submitted an applicatin t FDOT District 7 t fund the east leg f the Pinellas Trail Lp thrugh the SUN Trail netwrk prgram. Six prject applicatins were frwarded by FDOT District 7 t the FDOT Central Office. Tw prjects in Pinellas Cunty were selected fr funding, including an verpass f SR 60 in Clearwater and a segment f trail in Palm Harbr, but n segments in the City. 2. A Gulf Cast Trail summit was held n January 2017, resulting in a draft Psitin Statement f supprt fr the trail. The dcument als identified the MPOs alng the crridr as the entities that cmprise the Gulf Cast Trail Alliance. iii. In crdinatin with TBARTA, Frward Pinellas has added several future trail segments t the TBARTA Multi-Use Trails Reginal Pririties Map as a Cnceptual Trail and the State Office f Greenways and Trails Land Trails Opprtunities Map. These segments wuld all frm branches r lps ff f the Cast-t-Cast Trail and Flrida Gulf Cast Trail. The segments include the Je s Creek Greenway Trail, the CSX right f way between dwntwn St Petersburg and Lealman, the Gandy Bridge crridr, and a new Gateway Trail crridr cnnecting Lealman t the Gandy Bridge with a rute t be determined. g. Trail Cunters Autmated cunting equipment t recrd the number f trail users has been installed alng trails acrss the City. Over the cming mnths, equipment installed at the fllwing lcatins will be prviding cntinuus cunting that differentiates pedestrians, bicyclists, and directins f travel: [updated March 13, 2018] i. Pinellas Trail near Tyrne (lcatin pending apprval f Cunty permit) ii. Pinellas Trail near Childs Park (lcatin installed and maintained by Frward Pinellas) iii. Pinellas Trail near Trpicana Field iv. Skyway Trail near Twin Brks Glf Curse v. Nrth Bay Trail near Cffee Pt Park Page 5 f 11

19 3. Pedestrian Facilities a Dwntwn Bulb uts Cnstructin is substantially cmplete at a number f dwntwn intersectins, including: 1st Street/1st Avenue N, 1st Street/1st Avenue S, 1st Street/2nd Avenue S, 1st Street/4th Avenue S, 1st Street/5th Avenue S, Beach Drive/1st Avenue S, Beach Drive/1st Avenue N, Beach Drive/2nd Avenue N, 2nd Street/2nd Avenue S, and 7th Street/Central Avenue. Landscaping and lighting elements will be added in b. Bulb uts fr 3 rd Street thrugh Dwntwn The City has received FDOT safety funds t design and cnstruct bulb uts t shrten pedestrian crssing distances and tighten the turn radii at feasible crners between 5 th Avenue Nrth and 5 th Avenue Suth. Design has been underway thrugh 2017 and is expected t be cmpleted in Cnstructin t fllw in late 2018 and Intersectins alng 4 th Street were previusly included in this prject, but have been remved due t required drainage csts being higher than anticipated. c. 4 th Street Suth/3 rd Street Suth Crssing imprvements were included as a part f the Innvatin District Streetscape and Cnnectivity Plan. Enhanced midblck crssings are planned n 4 th Street and 3 rd Street between 6 th Ave S and 18 th Ave S. There are three lcatins planned n 4 th Street including 7 th Avenue S, 11 th Avenue S, and Newtn Avenue S (between 14/15 th Avenue S), and ne lcatin planned n 3 rd Street at 11 th Avenue Suth. Final crssing lcatins may be adjusted in the design phase. Design is just beginning and is anticipated t be cmpleted in 2018 with cnstructin fllwing thereafter. [updated March 20, 2018] d. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacn (RRFB) Crsswalk Enhancements i. 120 crssings are nw equipped with RRFBs in the City. 57 were installed in 2016 and 17 in St. Petersburg nw has the highest knwn implementatin f RRFB devices installed in any city in the United States. ii. The RRFB equipment had its interim apprval rescinded by the federal gvernment n December 21, 2017 due t a patent issue that was unrelated t the safety perfrmance. A new interim apprval was issued n March 20, 2018, with the primary difference being a slightly mdified flashing pattern. (Fr mre details, see: All existing installatins will remain in place, planned and funded installatins may prceed, and the device may again be included in future prjects. [updated March 26, 2018] e. As an educatinal cmpnent, City staff develped and distributed a utility bill flier in January 2018 t prvide traffic safety tips fr bth mtrists bicyclists aimed at infrming city residents as t the meaning f certain new green pavement markings that have been r are expected t be installed fllwing resurfacing prjects. Additinal cpies f the flier were prduced t be distributed a cmmunity events and neighbrhd assciatin meetings. f. A series f dwntwn wayfinding signs and infrmatinal kisks are frthcming t direct pedestrians t majr destinatins. A similar system f signs will be riented t mtrists with a special emphasis n entrances t the parking garages with the gal f reducing the amunt f traffic circulating and lking fr n-street parking spaces. A cntract fr the pedestrian signs and vehicular wayfinding signs was apprved by Cuncil in December Fabricatin and installatin shuld be cmplete in fall Page 6 f 11

20 4. Bicycle Rutes and Facilities a. Dwntwn Bicycle Netwrk i. First Avenue Suth Dwntwn Trail Intersectin Imprvements The City is currently scping spt imprvements t striping at the intersectins. Imprved striping at driveways is ccurring as a part f private redevelpment alng the crridr. Further updates t the intersectin at 3 rd Street is t be incrprated with the FDOT-funded bulb uts safety prject. ii. Beach Drive Shared Lane Markings have been installed between 1 st Avenue S and 7 th Avenue N, with Bikes May Use Full Lane signage t fllw. The 15 MPH speed limit signs have been replaced with 20 MPH speed limit signs, alng with an increased number f speed limit signs alng the crridr. Thugh it may seem cunterintuitive t increase the psted speed limit, the change will enable St. Petersburg Plice Department fficers t mre-readily enfrce unsafe speeding abve 20 MPH n the crridr in accrdance with state law. iii. 1 st Street the bike lane drp between 2 nd Avenue N and 3 rd Avenue N is being filled with shared lane markings and mdified bike lane markings and signs t indicate that bikes shuld be in the travel lane in this segment. iv. 2 nd Avenue N Shared Lane Markings and Bikes May Use Full Lane signage are t be installed between 2 nd Street and Beach Drive. [updated March 13, 2018] b. 30 th Avenue Nrth Bicycle Facility 30 th Avenue Nrth frm MLK t 58 th Street is being selectively widened and resurfaced t add a cntinuus bike lane acrss almst the entire city. The prject is currently being cnstructed in segments frm west-t-east with an estimated cmpletin date arund the end f May [updated March 26, 2018] c. City staff have been wrking t imprve and add bicycle facilities as a part f the annual resurfacing prgram. i. The FY2018 resurfacing prgram is currently in develpment and is expected t add r widen bike lanes n several radways, including: MLK Jr. Street frm 5 th Avenue N t 34 th Avenue N (see Cmplete Streets prjects abve fr full update n this segment), 16 th Street frm Pinellas Pint Drive t 62 nd Avenue S, 22 nd Avenue S frm 4 th Street t Beach Drive SE, 28 th Street frm 34 th Avenue N t 37 th Avenue N, 30 th Avenue N frm MLK Jr St t 4 th Street, 30 th Avenue N frm 71 st Street t 66 th Street, 31 st Street frm 9 th Avenue N t 13 th Avenue N, 34 th Avenue N frm 4 th Street t Maple Street, and 37 th Street frm Central Avenue t 1 st Avenue N. [updated March 20, 2018] ii. The FY2017 resurfacing prgram included imprved r added bicycle facilities alng segments f 18 th Avenue Suth, 15 th Avenue Suth, 20 th Street, and Pinellas Pint Drive. iii. FY2016 prgram imprvements t the bicycle facilities included: Pinellas Pint Drive/Ry Hanna Drive/62nd Ave S, 13 th Avenue N, 37 th Street Suth, and 19 th Street N. Final installatins t include green pavement markings in selected lcatins is frthcming. iv. The FY2016 prgram als included the recnfiguratin f 1 st Street frm 5 th Ave S t Central Ave, which has created a tw-way separated bicycle path alng the east side f the radway. The initial striping wrk has been cmpleted as a part f the resurfacing, and additinal physical elements t include flex psts and sectins f green paint fr emphasis will be added in phases. Planters in the buffer area have als been added alng 1 st Street and will be replaced nce the Grand Prix track has been fully disassembled. [updated March 13, 2018] d. FDOT will be resurfacing 54th Avenue Suth between 41st Street and 34th Street. The restriping t be cmpleted includes the additin f buffered bike lanes. Design was cmpleted in late FDOT is expected t select a cntractr fr the resurfacing wrk t begin in spring Page 7 f 11

21 e. City staff cntinue t install bicycle racks in lcatins thrughut the City in an effrt t prmte healthy transprtatin fr daily activities. Frthcming installatins include Central Avenue thrugh bth the EDGE and Grand Central business districts. f. Bike Share - i. As f January 1, 2018, the Cast prgram in St. Petersburg has seen ver 42,000 trips taken and ver 86,000 miles ridden. ii. A member survey is currently pen thrugh March 2018, which will allw the City and peratr t learn mre abut where minr mdificatins and the mdest prgram expansin shuld be pursued in iii. A ne-year anniversary ride and celebratin was held February 1, Amng awards given t cmmunity partners at the event, the Central Avenue shared lane markings were awarded as best bicycling infrastructure by member pll. [updated March 20, 2018] g. An update t the City s Bike Map is underway including graphical redesign and the creatin f tpical cntent addressing different types f bicyclists and greater detail n sme areas f the City. The updated maps are currently pending mre-detailed rute guidance as currently being develped in the Cmplete Streets Implementatin Plan. Final graphic design will be cmpleted by the City s Marketing Department, with anticipated cmpletin in mid Page 8 f 11

22 5. Multi-mdal Prjects a. Central Avenue Speed Limit Optimizatin - Wrk has begun t make the speed limits alng Central Avenue as cnsistent as pssible. i. The targets fr psted and perating speeds include reducing the sectin thrugh Grand Central t 20 mph t match dwntwn, as well as an incremental reductin fr the western segments t 35 mph, and eventually t 30 mph in later years. ii. The future primary bicycle facilities fr the crridr include the fllwing segments: 1. Bayshre Blvd. t 31 st St Shared Lane Markings and assciated signage including Bikes May Use Full Lane signs, reverse-facing bicyclists wrng way signs, and D Nt Pass signs. These markings and signage have been cmpleted st St t 66 th St Bike lanes (30-35 mph) Bike lanes are t be added t this segment as a part f the West Central Streetscape prject which is currently being scped, and the Central Avenue Crridr Bus Rapid Transit prject which will impact the bike lanes n the adjacent 1 st Avenues Nrth and Suth. There is als a pending applicatin fr federal Transprtatin Alternatives funds t add Cmplete Streets amenities t this segment th St t Park St Bike lanes (30-35 mph) Pinellas Cunty has cmpleted their prject t resurface the sectin frm Pasadena Avenue t Park Street, which added 5 bike lanes. 4. Park St t Treasure Island Treasure Island Trail which is currently under varius stages f design and cnstructin. (30-35 mph) iii. Pedestrian imprvements alng the crridr will include the fllwing elements at selected lcatins as individual prjects and funding are identified. iv. Each phase f implementatin will include targeted educatin and enfrcement 1. City staff has cmpleted a speed study f Central Avenue in the EDGE and Grand Central Districts, and is wrking with PD t increase enfrcement f speeding and ther mving vilatins. With the recently cmpleted bulb uts at 24 th, 25 th, and 26 th Streets, the City will be cnducting a new speed study t see if a reduced speed limit is nw warranted. 2. City has received funding frm FDOT t cnduct HVE peratins again in FY2018, and will crdinate enfrcement with the Central Ave imprvements as pssible. [updated March 13, 2018] 3. City staff develped and distributed a Shared Lane Marking educatinal utility bill flyer that is serving as a mdel garnering attentin acrss the regin; the City has been asked t submit the flyer t the Flrida Bicycle Assciatin, Pinellas Cunty MPO, and Bike Walk Tampa Bay Bard fr their cnsideratin. An educatinal vide is als being pursued. The Plice Department has begun distributing the sharrws flier t cyclists riding n the sidewalks and will be part f an effrt t educate cyclists riding t fast r nt yielding t pedestrians. b. 34 th Street prjects i. CityTrails funds are being applied t extend the current pathway alng 37 th Street nrthward frm 34 th Avenue S t 30 th Avenue S, then cntinuing eastward alng 30 th Avenue S between 37 th and 34 th Streets in cnjunctin with a mixed use develpment prject in the Skyway Marina District. ii. FDOT is planning a resurfacing prject frm 54 th Avenue S t 22 nd Avenue N, which is expected in the next 3-5 years. iii. Skyway Marina District 34th Street Suth Sidewalk Imprvements cnstructin prject. At their March 8, 2017 meeting, the Frward Pinellas Bard vted t apprve funding fr the 34 th Street Suth Sidewalks Imprvements cnstructin prject via their new Cmplete Page 9 f 11

23 Streets funding prgram. The schedule fr the imprvements will be linked with FDOT s resurfacing prject. iv. The City is wrking with Frward Pinellas and PSTA t study a ptential lane eliminatin r cnversin f ne f the three general purpse lanes in each directin t dedicated transit and/r bicycle lanes which culd als be cmpleted at the time f resurfacing. A cnsultant has begun the analysis fr Frward Pinellas with results expected in summer 2018 and the study finalized by the end f c. 4 th Street Nrth i. City is wrking with FDOT t prject t install median channelizatin and pedestrian crssings n 4 th Street Nrth frm 30 th Avenue Nrth t Kger Blvd. Funding fr the design is included in the FDOT Draft Tentative Five Year Wrk Prgram in FY20/21 with cnstructin anticipated in FY22/23. d. Riviera Bay/San Martin Blvd. bridge replacement [updated March 26, 2018] i. Pinellas Cunty is cnducting a Prject Develpment and Envirnment study t identify and screen alternatives t replace and raise the bridge ver Riviera Bay as well as review the segments f San Martin Blvd. that lead t the bridge. ii. The preferred alternative includes a trail alng the east/suth side f the bridge, as a segment f the Pinellas Trail Lp. Bike lanes are included n the bridge, thugh it is unclear hw the Cunty wuld incrprate bike lanes n the radway segments n each side f the bridge. e. 22 nd Avenue S crridr [updated March 26, 2018] i. Pinellas Cunty is currently cnstructing sidewalk imprvements between 58 th Street and 49 th Street, and has funding in place t cnstruct missing segments f sidewalk alng the nrth side between 49 th Street and 40 th Street ii. Pinellas Cunty is als cnducting a crridr study and cmpleting traffic analysis fr 22 nd Avenue S between 58 th Street and 34 th Street including assessing a ptential recnfiguratin f the radway t include ne thrugh lane in each directin alng with the additin f a center turn lane and bike lanes. f. Suth St. Petersburg East-West Transprtatin Netwrk Actin Plan. While nt apprved fr funding under the new Frward Pinellas Prgram, the Actin Plan will be pursued with City funds. A scpe fr that Plan is currently being develped and will be finalized nce the Cmplete Streets Implementatin Plan has been apprved. [updated March 13, 2018] g. Transit prjects [updated March 20, 2018] i. Central Avenue Crridr Bus Rapid Transit 1. Premium buses will cnnect dwntwn t the Dn Cesar Htel n St Pete Beach, 2. Features include ff-bard fare cllectin, lw-flr barding, high frequency, limited stps, lanes dedicated t buses and business access/left turns nly alng 1 st Avenues Nrth & Suth 3. Impacts identified in the preliminary design include remval f bike lanes alng 1 st Avenues Nrth and Suth west f 20 th Street and the cmplementary additin f bike lanes t Central Avenue between 31 st Street and Pasadena Street. 4. Applicatin fr funding was submitted t the Federal Transit Administratin in September PSTA will learn abut the funding decisin in spring 2018, thugh in In February, USDOT s FY2019 Capital Investment Grant Reprt t Cngress was released and included PSTA s Central Avenue BRT Prject with a higher than expected rating f Medium-High; this rating psitins the prject in an excellent Page 10 f 11

24 manner t receive Federal funds. If apprved at anticipated levels, service culd be peratinal in late ii. Dwntwn Circulatr PSTA and City are evaluating the ptins t imprve transit mvements and cnnectins within dwntwn, and anticipate the service changes t becme peratinal in late The service wuld be prvided, in part, with the Cunty s first all-electric bus. iii. Skyway Marina District shelters PSTA and the City are partnering t prvide twelve (12) shelters in the Skyway Marina District and 37 th Street frm 30 th Avenue Suth t 54 th Avenue Suth. At lcatins where shelters exist, they will be replaced with PSTA s new style f shelter. At stps with at least 10 passengers barding each day (PSTA s current threshld is a minimum f 40 passengers each day), a new shelter will be added. An agreement t slidify details f the partnership is being cmpleted and anticipated t g t City Cuncil fr their apprval this spring. iv. Citywide shelters prgram - City staff are wrking with PSTA t add ver 20 shelters at PSTA stps in the city. These shelters will be placed at strategic lcatins which previusly did nt have a shelter and will be city funded. Installatin is anticipated t begin later in v. Rute 100X Extensin Rute 100X currently cnnects dwntwn Tampa t the Gateway Mall. PSTA has received funding frm FDOT t extend rute 100X frm its current terminus at the Gateway Mall t Dwntwn St. Petersburg beginning in June at the current service level. City staff are wrking with PSTA n the exact lcatin fr the service in dwntwn, including the ptential fr a park and ride. vi. AV shuttle demnstratin prject - PSTA has partnered with Easy Mile fr a pilt Autmated Vehicle (AV) shuttle demnstratin prject alng Bayshre Drive frm the Dali Museum t the Viny Htel. The vehicle will have a tp speed f arund 15 MPH and will be staffed with an attendant during peratin. Anticipated launch f the service is in the fall f h. Transprtatin Demand Management (TDM) activities i. Bicycle Friendly Business Prgram 1. As a part f the natinal League f American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly America prgram, the new lcal BFB prgram recgnizes emplyers fr their effrts t encurage a mre welcming atmsphere fr emplyees, custmers, and cmmunity members wh ride bicycles. 2. The City has ffered assistance t lcal businesses that want t pursue certificatin. The assistance includes safety training, an evaluatin f bicycle parking needs, and cmpletin f the applicatin. Interested businesses shuld visit the website t learn mre: and als cntact Christine Acsta at christine@pedalpwerprmters.cm 3. The City s effrts were presented and recgnized at the League f American Bicyclist s annual Natinal Bike Summit in Washingtn DC n March 5, [updated March 13, 2018] ii. City is participating in the Cmmuter Services educatin and driving alternatives prgrams being managed by TBARTA: Page 11 f 11

25 Tampa Bay Transprtatin Management Area (TMA) Leadership Grup Executive Summary Representing the MPOs in Pasc, Pinellas, & Hillsbrugh Cunties Summary fr meeting Based n the imprtance and reach f the cnversatins that happen at the TMA Leadership Grup, we are lking t keep ur stakehlders aware f the utcmes f these meetings. The fllwing is a summary f the mst recent meeting highlights; yu can find the full agenda nline. This meeting was als videtaped, which yu can watch n YuTube. The grup heard several updates n the status f Reginal Express Bus initiatives, and ther tpics relating t transit cnnectins Members had stated at a previus meeting that they wuld like t see mre reginal express bus rutes develped as sn as pssible Starting in June, PSTA will extend its existing express rute frm the Gateway t Tampa Internatinal Airprt via the Hward Frankland Bridge, and will extend anther express rute frm dwntwn St. Petersburg t dwntwn Tampa via the Gandy The services will run during peak travel times with the intent t seek funding t expand HART discussed its planned park-and-ride express rute frm Wesley Chapel t Tampa Internatinal Airprt There was sme cnfusin abut the verlap between this rute and the planned BRT rute in the RTFP The City f Tampa presented its plans fr the new streetcar rute study, which identified a preferred nrth-suth extensin frm Tampa Heights thrugh the center f dwntwn, serving numerus businesses and city parking garages The city is requesting apprval int FTA s Small Starts Prject Develpment this mnth FDOT discussed its intermdal studies thrughut the regin, which lk t identify ideal transfer pints between varius mdes f transprtatin Als mentined was an FDOT pilt study f shulder-running express bus in Pinellas Cunty that is nearing cmpletin An initial discussin f transprtatin prject pririties fr funding in the cming year was taken up and final decisins n pririties will be made at the May meeting Grup members discussed whether t take ff prjects that were funded, r leave the prjects n the list until cnstructin is cmplete The grup als discussed hw t define pririties

26 The MPO directrs nted that the pririty list has been integrated int the pririty lists f the MPOs, and that list is transmitted t the Flrida Department f Transprtatin fr funding Hwever, there were members wh felt the pririties shuld include big-picture visin prjects and als legislative asks that may nt be under the purview f FDOT The grup tentatively agreed t put bth the CSX prject and the BRT prject frm the Reginal Transit Feasibility Plan n the pririty list, althugh the scale/phasing and rder f thse prjects will be determined in May Sctt Pringle f Jacbs, the cnsultant fr the Reginal Transit Feasibility Plan, prvided a respnse t requests fr infrmatin grup members had made at the previus meeting in February Fr the past few mnths, the Reginal Transit Feasibility Plan discussin has revlved arund tw pssible catalyst prjects: Shulder-running bus rapid transit alng the I-275 Crridr including Wesley Chapel, USF, Tampa, Gateway, St. Petersburg This was the cnsultant s suggested catalyst plan due t cst effectiveness and crdinatin with Tampa Bay Next interstate mdernizatin. Cmmuter rail in the nrthern crridr fllwing the CSX rail line, frm Dwntwn Tampa t USF This prject is preferred by sme members due t its ptential fr passenger rail service linking Hernand and Pasc Cunty with Tampa, and transit-riented develpment pssibilities alng the rute At the March meeting, Pringle brught back infrmatin in respnse t several requests, but tw main nes: T lk at the US 41 crridr and a 41-mile CSX rute t be able t cmpare t the 41 miles alng the I-275 crridr, and t lk at a 12-mile CSX prject with a cnnectin directly t USF Original CSX suggested rute (dwntwn Tampa t USF) 9-mile rute $620 millin estimated capital cst 3.6 millin annual ridership $11 cst per trip Tampa with direct cnnectin t USF 11.2-mile rute $780 millin estimated capital cst 3.7 millin annual ridership $11 cst per trip Tampa t SR 54 near US mile rute $1.19 billin estimated capital cst 4.6 millin annual ridership $13 cst per trip Tampa t Brksville

27 45-mile rute $2.62 billin estimated capital cst 4.7 millin annual ridership $28 cst per trip Tampa t Oldsmar, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg 50-mile rute $3.32 billin estimated capital cst 7.8 millin annual ridership $22 cst per trip Pringle als clarified the full csts frm varius funding surces in the I-275 cncept, which includes between $920M and $1.15B in mney that FDOT wuld spend in the future interstate mdernizatin prjects t accmmdate shulder-running BRT The discussin that resulted frm this presentatin fcused mainly n hw relevant the numbers frm the CSX rutes were t the eventual actual csts Pasc Cmmissiner Jack Marian felt that the numbers shuld take the pssibility f private investment and resulting develpment arund rail statins int accunt Pringle nted that the study had requested that the prjects be lked at using criteria fr funding established by the Federal Transit Administratin t cmpare applicatins frm acrss the cuntry, and that the FTA criteria was what he fcused n FDOT District 7 Secretary David Gwynn clarified that the frmula fr FTA funding was very specific and is nly calculated based n the elements that Pringle had lked at Pasc MPO Directr Craig Casper and Hillsbrugh MPO Directr Beth Alden discussed right-f-way fr CSX and interstate transit, respectively A few highlights f the CSX presentatin: There are tw majr CSX subdivisins that are up fr sale: One frm Hernand Cunty t Busch Bulevard in Tampa One frm Busch Bulevard west t Clearwater and curving suth int St. Pete There may be additinal available subdivisins, including ne in Suth Tampa, but that remains unknwn The CSX line cannt accmmdate light rail within existing right-f-way, nly cmmuter rail and CSX wuld retain usage f the tracks fr freight service Gwynn nted that, were the regin t agree n the need t purchase CSX right-f-way, that wuld nt be within FDOT s purview and wuld need an act f the state legislature He als nted the legislature wuldn t make that purchase withut a prject t g with it Alden s presentatin fcused n hw right-f-way n the interstate has been handled in ther cmmunities Cmmunities included Suth Flrida and Minneaplis/St. Paul In Suth Flrida, express bus service was added in managed lanes n I-95 between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, and ridership increased 22% year-ver-year

28 In the Twin Cities, bus-nly shulders (f which there are nw 334+ miles cnstructed) prvided 9 minutes f travel time savings n average. Ridership als increased 9 percent ver tw years. TBARTA Executive Directr Ray Chiaramnte gave an update n the MPO Reginal Crdinatin Best Practices Study The study is mving frm Phase I, which examined existing cnditins and directins, t Phase II, which will identify best practices frm peer regins and develp case studies A secnd wrkshp will be held June 1 at Cllabrative Labs, and a third wrkshp is tentatively planned fr September The study is scheduled fr cmpletin in December The grup als decided t meet in Pasc at the next meeting May 11

29 Bard Meeting Friday, February 23, :30 am Hillsbrugh Cunty Center 26 th Flr Cnference Rm A-B 601 East Kennedy Bulevard Tampa, FL Meeting Minutes Items in red indicate a vte by the Bard. Items in blue indicate staff actin items. Bard Members Present: Jim Hltn, Chairman Melanie Griffin Michael Millett Cmmissiner Pat Kemp Cmmissiner Karen Seel Mayr Bb Buckhrn Kathleen Shanahan Cmmissiner Janet Lng Secretary David Gwynn Secretary L.K. Nandam Bard Members Absent: Cliff Manuel, Jr. Cmmissiner Wayne Dukes Cmmissiner Betsy Benac Mayr Rick Kriseman Gubernatrial Gubernatrial Gubernatrial Hillsbrugh Cunty Pinellas Cunty City f Tampa Hillsbrugh Area Reginal Transit Authrity (HART) Pinellas Suncast Transit Authrity (PSTA) Flrida Department f Transprtatin (FDOT), District 7 Advisr Flrida Department f Transprtatin (FDOT), District 1 Advisr Gubernatrial (excused) Hernand Cunty (excused) Manatee Cunty (excused) City f St. Petersburg (excused) Call t Order Chairman Jim Hltn called the meeting t rder at 9:41 am. Jim Hiltn intrduced new TBARTA Bard member Cmmissiner Kathryn Starkey, appinted t represent Pasc Cunty. Cmmissiner Kathryn Starkey lks frward t serving n the Bard and being an active member fr reginal slutins. The TBARTA Bard extended its appreciatin t Pasc Cunty Cmmissiner Mike Mre fr his dedicatin and utstanding service during his tenure n the TBARTA Bard. Public Cmment Anthny Palmieri will n lnger be serving n the TBARTA Citizens Advisry Cmmittee (CAC) and gave thanks t the TBARTA Bard and TBARTA Staff fr his time n the Cmmittee. Mr. Palmieri had served as Chair f the CAC fr years, and said it was a difficult decisin t step away frm the CAC. Mr. Palmieri culd n lnger cmmit the length f time needed with the new charge f TBARTA in develping the Reginal Transit Develpment Plan and implementing reginal transit. The TBARTA Bard, and Chairman Jim Hltn, thanked Mr. Palmieri fr his service. Karen Mullins, a TBARTA CAC and Pinellas MPO CAC member, expressed her disappintment in the lack f accmplishment fr the CAC there has been n qurum fr ver a year. There is nthing getting dne and n citizen input. The reprts and presentatins cming befre the CAC have nthing t d with transit, we d nt hear the actual functining f transit. This agency was created t create a visin fr ur future fr 25 years ut frm nw. Ms. Mullins asked the Bard t change the dynamic and visin, and lead us thrugh the visin fr the next 30 years, s we can tell and shw ur children that there will be transit. S we can bring in ecnmic develpment because we are being passed ver by cmpanies because we d nt have an adequate transit system. Pinellas Cunty is built ut, there is n mre rm fr rads. On this Bard, there is n ne wh represents transprtatin disadvantaged. We need smene n the Bard and the CAC t have this vice. The MPO members f the CAC d nt have a vte they d nt have a vice. As elected fficials, it is easy t say n and get re-elected, but it is hard t say yes t galvanize this cmmunity. Lena Yung Green said when TBX was first rlled ut, she visited this Bard. At the time, the Executive Directr said yur jb was nt t lk dwn in the weeds, but t lk mre hlistic. Yur weeds is my frnt yard, my neighbrhd, my envirnment. The impact f decisins made by this bdy has an effect n ur TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 1 f 7

30 children. Hillsbrugh Cunty is ne f the largest cunties in the regin, yu must lk at us frm the perspective fr the impact f Tampa and Hillsbrugh n yur decisins. We need transit. Millennials want effective transit and d nt want t get arund n rads. Find ways t nt build ut mre rads. We supprt use f the CSX, rads d nt generate ecnmic impact as much as transit. We supprt walkable, bikeable cmmunities with clean air. Rick Fernandez, president f the Tampa Heights Civic Assciatin and Hillsbrugh MPO CAC member, said the civic assciatin had a representative frm Jacbs t present the Reginal Transit Feasibility Plan last evening. Tampa Heights is in the middle f the spine f I-275 and are the mst impacted. The general feeling f the cmmunity is the RTFP is a first step but there is a lt f rm fr imprvement. We wuld like a gld standard fr BRT, which this is nt, r we wuld like the attentin turned t the CSX tracks USF t Dwntwn r Suth Tampa t USF. The CSX tracks are t imprtant t be ignred. Transit Oriented Develpment and Ecnmic Develpment are t imprtant t be ignred. Mr. Fernandez lives clse t the Flribraska and I-275 intersectin, where a statin is prpsed. Within the walkshed f a fixed statin is TOD new business, new residents, new tax base. The current plan wuld nt address this TOD pprtunity, and there is n ecnmic impact analysis t determine what, if any, such a statin will have. There is a questin f price and a questin f cst the current plan is all abut the cst and hw t d this plan n the cheap. We are frgetting there is a cst t placing the statins in the wrng place. Unless we understand the difference between a statin, and lcatin, and price/cst, we are missing the pint. I hpe yu request an ecnmic analysis and multiply that by every statin n the rute. There is n dedicated lane fr the entire span and the sectin n the Hward Frankland Bridge is mixing BRT vehicles with express and traffic. The assumptin is that there will be express lanes, but we are in Tampa Bay Next which is a prcess f where we are ging, and there is n determinatin there will be express lanes, thugh FDOT expects there will be. The flaw is that we are relying n the BRT being in express lanes that may nt exist. We can d a whle lt better, and Tampa deserves better. Michelle Cksn said the RTFP is very trubling in a cuple areas. The public was encuraged t cme ut t meetings t lead up t tday s plan, it feels like, yet again, this prcess represented smething. At the charrette prcess with FDOT, there was we hear yu, but it sure seems like that it was baked in t arrive at a pre-determined situatin. We can d a lt better and I can t help but feel this is designed fr pushing thrugh a highway prject, nt transit. This BRT represents a pr chice when we have a greater pprtunity with the CSX tracks. The CSX cnnects all f ur densest areas already, and hpes this Bard asks the questins, which includes the return n investment. In Orland, the FDOT purchased the right f way fr SunRail and are als paying fr the first seven years f peratins and maintenance fr the system they shuld d the same fr the Tampa Bay regin. Being reginal is imprtant, and TOD is s imprtant, but we keep being tld f this catalyst f BRT, but the true catalyst is the CSX. When we make these pr chices, we create the selffulfilling prphecy f being left behind. This is a reginal bdy, but time again, Hillsbrugh Cunty is being asked t be the sacrificial lamb. This is the mment where we can turn and make a chice that is based n the future, that can prvide buy-in. If this is a catalyst, we must think brader, and we wuld like t be that catalyst. Lking arund plitically, peple have had it with the tp dwn apprach, but then they are asked t fund smething. Tm Ncera said he is impressed with the passin and cmmn thread f the speakers with regard t the imprtance f the CSX lines and the future f transit. Aerial transit wuld nt lk t disrupt the tracks, but rather, use aerial rights and right f way alng thse tracks, t cnnect the area. Speaking with CSX, in rder t cmmence a deal, we need t get a pilt prject established between dwntwn Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, which will include a bridge study. SkyTran is raising mney, teamed up with the Bring Crpratin fr pd design, and are in discussin with Kennedy Space Center t place their wrld headquarters there and prduce a test track. We are ptimistic abut the future abut the Tampa Bay Regin, and what a blessing we have that we d nt have bligatins fr systems and rails currently. We can mve swiftly int the 21 st century. Mr. Ncera wuld like t present his plan t the TBARTA Bard at a future meeting. Bb Henin, a TBARTA CAC and Pinellas MPO CAC member, said reginal transit is the mst critical issue and this is the main deficiency in the regin, a lack f reginal transit. We have nt had a qurum fr the TBARAT CAC in ver a year, we cannt vte, we cme t a cnsensus, but being n a CAC is very imprtant, it gives citizens the pprtunity t prvide input and be a part f the prcess. It requires us t fllw and shw up. Mr. Henin is lking frward t TBARTA cming up with plans t challenge the issue f transit, receive sme funding, and wuld like the CAC t reach a qurum t functin accrdingly. Chris Vela lives next t the I-4 and I-275 interchange in Ybr City and lves his neighbrhd. One f the biggest issues with the transit study is we are nt appraching the funding crrectly, instead appraching it with a 1970s mindset. Right nw, the gas tax is nt ging up and there is n mney cming frth. A lcal match will be required n matter what transit system we decide upn, but wuld like t challenge this Bard t lk at the trillin dllar bnd market, the Green Bnd market, which culd help with a very rbust system. Cities wh have ta San Francisc, Prtland, Washingtn DC, Cnnecticut, and New Yrk. The bnd ges int TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 2 f 7

31 specific types f infrastructure that reduce air pllutin, and the track recrd f these bnds is gd because yu knw what yu are ging t get back. Even with Autnmus Vehicle technlgy, we already have light rail that wrks well, we have smart technlgy that wrks well, lets use that tday. We can get there quickly with this funding and ur technlgy tday. This whle study is cnvluting the issue f TBX, and the State wes us high speed rail system. Hillsbrugh Cunty residents are ne f the highest taxed in the regin, and there is a lack f trust n spending tax dllars. We are bming and we need t spend mney in ther areas and we need t be cmpetitive and need t treat the peple wh live here right. This is nt BRT, this is bus express rapid transit. CSX has a tremendus amunt f value. As a tax payer, it s simple, lets g with smething that has less f an envirnmental impact and mre transit initiatives. The way the TBARTA Bard is structured, there are t many state peple, and there shuld be citizen chairs n the Bard fr the civic vice. Ybr City has the highest risk f cancer in the City f Tampa, the maps are nline. The BRT is nt ging t reduce this. We need a transit system that cnnects these neighbrhds that des nt rely n the highway rads. Cmmissiner Kathryn Starkey asked if we culd keep the public cmments t three minutes and Mr. Hltn said given the passin in this cmmunity it is imprtant t hear their input. Dayna Lazarus, a Master f Urban & Reginal Planning student at USF, is a 5 th generatin native f Tampa. Ms. Lazarus wuld like t remain here lng term after University. We need t invest in smething very lng term benefitting a lt f ur ppulatin. The Cunty Cmmissiner has cmmitted t an incredibly expensive Majr League Baseball Stadium that nly benefits a small prtin f the ppulatin. There are funding cnstraints. If we can cmmit as a regin, as a cunty, t smething very expensive, we need t cmmit t rail because it is wanted and transit effects everyne. The multiplier effects that cme frm baseball stadiums are nt measurable. As a student at USF, every class tuts the imprtance f rail t great cities. Rail is at the intersectin f climate, envirnmental, class, scial, and racial justice. Fixed guideways encurage develpment because they are a lng-term investment. Millennials want rail ptins, and there shuld be mre citizen representatin in these prcesses especially thse mst effected by the decisins being made. Sydney Eastman rides the bus as a primary frm f transprtatin, she des nt wn a car. Ms. Eastman is 27 years ld and a wrld traveler and said the first thing she lks fr when lking fr a travel destinatin is transit nt htel cst. Gd public transit tells smene yu can get arund, access mre f the City, and interact with peple. When transit is brught up in this City and Cunty, the riders are nt invlved in these cnversatins. Rail wuld make a majr impact immediately and wuld reduce ur air pllutin. Cnsider the ridership, utreach in the cmmunity and let us knw when there are meetings. Cmmissiner Janet Lng said it is very imprtant that this Bard stays fcused n ur missin based n the Flrida Statute that created TBARTA. A lt f what has been viced tday is pertinent t Hillsbrugh Cunty and we are a reginal agency. Our missin is t fcus n thse things that are reginal, and the apprpriate place fr these cmments seem t be HART r the Hillsbrugh MPO. This is hw it perates in Pinellas. Statutrily, we cannt encrach n the lcal transit agencies. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said if there is n reasn that the CSX is nt a reginal prject, it can be a reginal prject, we had a very cntrived study that nly lked at 9-miles f CSX, and we had a study in 2012 that lked at 12-miles. The CSX runs thrughut the regin, as it des in Orland and Miami, and there is n reasn this is nt cnsidered a reginal line and prject ther than we had a very cntrived prject and study. This is nt a discussin n exactly what yu want, let s have a discussin abut the regin and the ptins fr the regin. Fr yu t curtail that we can nly discuss this radway, that is nt apprpriate and is cntrary t what we need t discuss. Jim Hltn said, as Chair, he wuld allw a leeway f public cmment because public cmment is s imprtant. Jurisdictinally we will deliberate n exactly what we will be vting n because we are a creature f the legislature and must fllw the law as it is written in statute. Public cmment is encuraged. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said that if Pinellas Cunty prefers a BRT system in express lanes in Pinellas Cunty they can d that in their area, but if Hillsbrugh Cunty identifies a prject and frm f transit t mve them in Hillsbrugh they will make that decisins fr Hillsbrugh. If cnnecting up t that is different than what the catalyst prject is, mving frward, we cannt ignre the best prject t mve peple thrugh Hillsbrugh Cunty. Cnsent Agenda Item Cmmissiner Janet Lng mved t apprve the TBARTA Bard meeting minutes fr January 26, Melanie Griffin secnded. PASSED 8-0. Cmmittee Reprts TBARTA Citizens Advisry Cmmittee, Michael Case, TBARTA Michael Case said the CAC did nt have a qurum, n public cmments, and n actin items. Members TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 3 f 7

32 had discussin n several items, including the TBARTA MPOs CCC Reginal Pririty Prjects, HART MetrRapid BRT, the TBARTA MPOs CCC Reginal P3, TBARAT Visin and Gals, and the CAC membership. Kathleen Shanahan asked abut the lack f ability t get a qurum, and Mr. Case said the struggle with getting a qurum is that a lt f the members may nt be as mbile r physically able t attend. There is a lt f participatin by phne, but they need t physically be there fr a qurum. Kathleen Shanahan said we shuld apprach the legislature abut phne participatin and Jim Hltn agreed in a telephne qurum system. We shuld encurage participatin directly and helping facilitate attendance. Camern Clark said if there is a physical qurum, yu can have phne participatin via phne, the attrney general cmments n this are clear in that yu need a physical qurum t cnstitute vting. There are state bards that allw fr phne vting, but there culd be exemptins created. Cmmissiner Kathryn Starkey will cmmit t getting a Pasc representative, but it is a lng way fr smene t drive, whether it be frm Manatee r Pas r Hernand. The CAC des nt change lcatins, it is always at TBARTA ffices. Jim Hltn said there is a cnsensus t try and d smething and encurages staff t lk int things like changing lcatins r legislative change, and all pssible methds. TBARTA Plicy Cmmittee, Melanie Griffin Melanie Griffin said there was n physical qurum, but 5 f 6 ttal members participated. They recmmended the jb descriptin fr the Executive Directr, this is essentially the same jb descriptin that was brught frward in Nvember, January, and February. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp had a cncern regarding putting reginal transit prjects in the jb descriptin and members agreed. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp asked why we wuld have the TECO Streetcar and Central Ave BRT in the jb descriptin if they are perated by HART and PSTA. It is nt clarifying and is misleading, it shuld nt be included. Cmmissiner Kathryn Starkey said any reginal plan we cme up with must cnnect with prjects in varius cunties, and that language shws we have started n smething and there are prjects cming r in place. Jim Hltn said we d nt want t lse site f the frest fr the trees, and all f these things are ptentially valid infrmatin fr an applicant. The fcus shuld be n mving this frward especially if we are hiring a recruiter. Kathleen Shanahan mved t apprve the TBARTA Executive Directr Jb Descriptin. Cmmissiner Janet Lng secnded. PASSED 8-0. Cmmissiner Karen Seel suggested adding language in the third paragraph that there are currently numerus transit prjects with partner agencies. This wuld be a friendly amendment. Cmmissiner Kemp said she culd nt imagine creating a new transit agency t nly manage a single bus rute. This is why the may perate language is imprtant. Melanie Griffin said the Plicy Cmmittee discussed that PSTA has apprved seven recruiting agencies, and the recmmendatin is the Bard giving the Plicy Cmmittee authrity t narrw the seven agencies dwn. Jim Hltn said he wuld like the Plicy Cmmittee t narrw it t tw firms fr the Bard t vet. Kathleen Shanahan made a mtin t have the Plicy Cmmittee narrw the selectin t tw recruiting firms fr the TBARTA Bard t cnsider. Michael Millet secnded. PASSED 8-0. TBARTA Finance Cmmittee, Jim Hltn Jim Hltn said there is a recurring issue with the lag time f grants and the reimbursement required. We need t have a reprt n this, pssibly by an auditr. Ray Chiaramnte said in 2012 TBARTA received a millin dllar grant that was fcused n Veterans. There is abut $500,000 remaining, $267,000 f which is cmmitted t HART fr the reginal farecard. We d nt have that mney available because it has t be spent in rder t be reimbursed, there is a cash flw prblem. It can prbably be achieved in $30,000 increments but may be difficult t spend the entire balance by the end f the year. The ther $250,000 can be used fr anther prject, pssibly smething with anther transit agency. Ray Chiaramnte said TBARTA is currently preparing fr an audit, and wuld like t see if an audit f the grants can be added t this audit. Jim Hltn said in a meeting with Whit Blantn f Frward Pinellas, the grant administratrs, they were cncerned that the grant had nt been inviced fr a lng time, and the Bard needs t lk at the ttality f the grants in an audit. It is gd fr self-analysis and ptential if we are ging t g t the private sectr fr a lan. We need t lk at what we ptentially have nt dne and what we can d. Jim Hltn thanked David Gwynn fr a frward n funding. Jim Hltn wuld like t step back, and get an independent audit t understand what was nt dne crrectly s it can be crrected in the future. TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 4 f 7

33 Cmmissiner Janet Lng wuld like a sense f urgency, because the Federal gvernment is ding their three year audit, and if the mney was nt spent, it will be taken back. We d nt want t take ur eye ff getting ur mney, we need t be dgged. Kathleen Shanahan said we cannt lse mney that has been prescribed because f a cash flw issue. The agency shuld fcus n what resurces are needed and get part time help. Ray Chiaramnte said they have a jb descriptin ut right nw fr help with this issue. Cmmissiner Janet Lng suggested wrking with a partner agency t prvide staff supprt because they wrk with grants all f the time. Ray Chiaramnte said if they are willing abslutely. Susan Ebner said the audit will cme t the June TBARTA Bard meeting. Jim Hltn wuld like t have the grants audit included. Michael Millet wuld like t have this expediated. Jim Hltn made a mtin t direct staff t expedite an audit f all TBARTA grants. Jim Hltn made a mtin t direct staff t expedite an audit f all TBARTA grants. Kathleen Shanahan secnded. PASSED 8-0. Presentatin and Discussin Items Hillsbrugh Area Reginal Transit Authrity (HART) MetrRapid Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study, Jeffrey Seward, HART Jeffrey Seward prvided a presentatin that reprted n a HART study f MetrRapid BRT in the Flrida Avenue and Fwler Avenue Crridr. The presentatin is available nline at: Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said this is an excellent prject, as is the Central Avenue BRT in Pinellas. This will bring us TOD, and a return n investment. The RTFP has been very disingenuus fr $ millin. The study did nt include anything abut TOD, r ecnmic develpment, r return n investment. Our study is fcused n farebx recvery, nthing mre. Hw d we d a reginal transit study with n return n investment element? There is zer ecnmic develpment created fr elevated bus statins in the middle f the highway. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said SunRail in Orland, which was funded by FDOT, has seen $2 billin in investment arund the statins. This is scuttlebutt f FTA and rubber tire. This is a hybrid BRT, there wuld be dedicated lanes and que jumps. Statin lcatin wuld be paced based n ecnmic develpment and TOD. This is serving a lcal cntingency. Kathleen Shanahan asked if this is a duplicate effrt t the RTFP Phase One. We need t knw what the gal is and nt have scuttlebutt type f anecdtes. Mr. Seward said it is a mischaracterizatin, they are supprtive f ne anther, there is a lcal rider t serve and can t wait n the larger plan t happen. Bth prjects can exist tgether in the same funding universe. Kathleen Shanahan said there is decreasing ridership, but she supprts BRT. Jim Hltn said the purpse and scpe is t be a reginal transit authrity and ging frward we have t realize we are nt sitting here t discuss nly Tampa, r Hillsbrugh, r Pinellas. We are here t discuss the whle regin and the cnstituency that TBARTA is made up f. Secretary David Gwynn said there are a lt f studies ging n r cmmencing in the future. This is a step beynd the RTFP. There is $5 millin in the budget next year t fund a similar study that will be recmmended t us by TBARTA culd be the catalyst prject n the highway, culd be smething else, and it will be funded in the next stage. Shuld the 41 crridr be recmmended, it wuld be dne in cnjunctin with this study. These studies wuld wrk clsely tgether, and is why the timing is critical. FDOT is funding all f these studies, but we are waiting t hear back frm ur partners, we will be a funding partner and a facilitatr. The fcus f the Jacbs study was t g after Federal funding, because there was nt lcal mney. The cnsultant ging ut withut a lcal agency with them, it is ging t be a prblem, and hpefully we can have the HART Bard review allwing staff t participate in the public discussin. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said lcally Nebraska and Flrida are the tw highest perfrming rutes and this area up t USF is the mst transit rich area in the regin, bar nne. It is imprtant we start t d better transit, and serve at street level, these needs. We need t make changes t facilitate what ges n at street level. These are imprtant prjects and is what we need t cnnect ur regin at the street level. An expressway is meant t be used as few stps as pssible, and nt spending $400 millin fr smething that can be much less at street level with BRT. Cmmissiner Janet Lng asked why the HART Bard did nt want the HART staff participating in the public utreach and Jeff Seward said they have been wrking n addressing the cncerns f Bard members wh vted against allwing staff t participate. Many f the cncerns have t d with what has been said tday lack f TOD, ecnmic develpment. They will get back with Jacbs n thse cncerns, and recnvene the TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 5 f 7

34 cnversatin in April t address the issues. It is HART supprting the public vetting prcess, nt necessarily a specific prject. Jim Hltn said he was disheartened by the actins with the HART Bard. This is nt the ultimate vte, we are here t hear the public, n decisin has been made. We need t act as a regin, again, and vet these things in the sunshine and vte n them here. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said an endrsement was called fr the RTFP and Cmmissiner Pat Kemp bjected t that. There is cncern with the prcess as a prmtinal marketing type f event fr a specific prject, fr the study, the study was mre f a marketing effrt frm the start. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said the study has nt been fully vetted r accurate. Bb O Malley has nt been cntacted in tw years since the study began by Jacbs and Sctt Pringle. In 2012, Jacbs did a study that had a 12-mile f CSX. If this was included it wuld have blwn everything else ut f the water, but this ne nly went 9-miles. This des nt even include the Suth Tampa tracks f CSX. In the year n this Bard, we have never had a presentatin n the CSX tracks r frm Bb O Malley. It wuld take 5-years t cnvert if we did it the way Orland did. SunRail cst $18 millin a mile, that includes right f way, track imprvements, etc. Why d we keep ignring this CSX line? It ges frm Suth Tampa, t Dwntwn Tampa, t Ybr City, t USF, t Lutz, t Brksville. It ges east and west frm Busch Gardens t Twn & Cuntry. It ges t Oldsmar. It ges t Safety Harbr, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg. They end at the stadium in St Petersburg. Fr us t ignre a dedicated crridr that we have thrugh ur entire regin with 2.5 millin alng the crridr, at $18 millin a mile, that culd be peratinal in five years this is glden. It is a glden pprtunity. SunRail is taking in $200 millin mre in taxable prperty due t develpment alng the rail crridr. We are paying hundreds f millins a mile fr I-275. The Selmn Expressway Cnnectr, ne mile, cst $600 millin. We culd d 20-miles thrughut Hillsbrugh fr $360 millin, and the peratin is a little abve bus peratin. Secretary David Gwynn said they are nt ppsed t smething like the SunRail prject if it is brught t FDOT. With SunRail, it was the reginal MPOs #1 pririty. Here, all three MPOs wuld need t make this the tp pririty s that all Federal funds wuld g t this prject prir t ging t ther prjects there has t be reginal cnsensus frm the three MPOs. There needs t be an interlcal agreement amng all the agencies that wuld participate in the funding fr the 25% capitl, and the peratins and maintenance. We need a Federal champin, we need Federal funding because if there is n federal funding the state can nly put in 12%, if there is federal funding, we can put in 50%. We cannt begin t fund smething if there is n buy in frm the lcal gvernments t fund smething. If we have these things in writing f a cmmitment frm the lcals, then we can begin t have the discussin abut this being a viable prject mving frward. We are nt ppsed t the CSX lines, and if we put $5 millin twards a study, and there is n cnsensus, then we might as well thrw that $5 millin away befre ging t the federal gvernment. Bring us a Federal champin, bring us an MOU. Cmmissiner Janet Lng said she is very frustrated because Cmmissiner Kemp is nly ne vice. Cmmissiner Janet Lng said she was in the Flrida Legislature when the #1 pririty was the CSX lines, and that is all she talked abut in the legislature fr five years, and we gt an enrmus check frm the federal gvernment and that was sent back by the Gvernr. It is unfair t mnplize and hld hstage an entire Bard ver a prject nly Cmmissiner Kemp is talking abut. There are ther members f this Bard and we all feel passinately abut things, but t succeed, we need t bring peple alng with us. Jim Hltn said plitics is the art f the pssible. The FTA des nt want t see the fixed guideway systems, and things may change, but that s the current administratin. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said the CSX that Cmmissiner Janet Lng is talking abut was nt CSX, it was a high-speed rail in the middle f the interstate frm Orland t Tampa. It was nt CSX. Cmmissiner Janet Lng said thy spke cnstantly abut the CSX lines at the State level abut buying the CSX lines and Secretary Gwynn cnfirmed it was the S-Line and A-Line. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said t be clear the high speed rail was nt CSX. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said she may be ne vice n this Bard, because f the cmpsitin f the Bard, but this is what her area wants, they want the CSX, and am the nly elected fficial f Hillsbrugh Cunty n the TBARTA Bard. We have predetermined here, this 41-mile rute. Kathleen Shanahan said she wuld welcme a presentatin frm CSX. Remember the cntext f the study was t maximize federal dllars fr a prject. Reginal Transit Feasibility Plan (RTFP) Update, Ramnd Chiaramnte, TBARTA Ray Chiaramnte said he has always been a rail supprter, and is ne f the few peple wh has been arund since the early 1970s and seen and been a part f all f thse 55 plans. The reality is this is nly 1 f the 21 prjects in that entire plan, it is the first phase, and really what yu are trying t d is t build a plitical calitin amng the cunties t shw the Federal gvernment and the state that we can actually d smething fr nce. This is ne wrld in the TBARTA Bard rm, but I see a different wrld in the Hillsbrugh MPO, the TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 6 f 7

35 Pasc MPO, Frward Pinellas, the Sarasta/Manatee MPO Bard rm. The prblems, the cmmnality, they all intercnnect, but have a different need than peple in the City f Tampa. Thinking we can have ne prject that des all f this is nt pssible. It has t be mre than ne prject. This is why they have multiple prjects in there, and we are picking the mst cmpetitive ne fr federal dllars. When this Bard was first created they had this big visin fr light rail acrss seven cunties, and it didn t wrk. We have gt t start smaller. I d nt believe this was predetermined, and I have been with Jacbs alng the way. It has been leveraging what FDOT is ding. I dn t think we shuld nt lk at CSX, but this shuld nt stp us frm ding this prject. The Tampa Bay area has a massive bdy f water, and if yu dumped 400 square miles f water in the middle f Atlanta r Charltte, they aren t ging t have the transit system they have. Rail is nt ging t wrk in all parts f this regin, but it might wrk in the City f Tampa. We need t fcus and understand that this is ne phase, but we can have CSX cme and give a presentatin. Cmmissiner Pat Kemp said she culd nt imagine why we wuld spend $400 millin fr an elevated expressway prject, and that the federal gvernment wuld nt fund that. We can d express busses with limited stps using an expressway. Ray Chiaramnte said if this is ging t wrk, it needs dedicated lanes, because he has ridden the HART and PSTA express buses and it takes ver an hur t g 15 minutes. Chice riders will nt use it. The nly peple using it have t use it because their car brke dwn r they dn t have a car. Cnslidatin f Bylaws fr TBARTA Bard and Cmmittees, Ramnd Chiaramnte and Camern Clark, TBARTA Attrney Camern Clark said tw f the Bards Cmmittees, the CAC and Transit Management Cmmittee, have their wn bylaws, and that is relatively unusual. Generally, this Bard shuld be setting the rules fr their cmmittees. The prblem is that the CAC bylaws cnflict with the TBARTA bylaws. Camern Clark suggested cnslidating all the bylaws int the TBARTA bylaws and he will bring that language back fr discuss at future Bard meeting. Camern Clark said, as a reminder, per state statute, fr a mtin t pass it needs t be apprved by a majrity f the Bard. S a 7-0 vte passes, but a 6-1 r 4-3 des nt pass. Last time there was a 7-1 vte, and that was fine, but this is t clarify that a majrity is needed fr passage. Infrmatin and Annuncement Items Executive Directr Reprt and Upcming Meetings & Events, Ramnd Chiaramnte, TBARTA Ray Chiaramnte s meeting attendance and upcming events are cntained in the packet. TBARTA Staff fllwed up with the cmments frm the public at the last Bard meeting regarding the bike lanes in St. Petersburg. Additinal Discussin Cmmissiner Janet Lng said if peple are appinted t this Bard, and have n alternates, and they d nt attend that pses an issue fr the vting based n Camern Clarks cmments. This needs t be addressed. Kathleen Shanahan said we shuld explre the ptin f it being a majrity f peple present. Jim Hltn said the legislature mst likely thught abut these cnflicts and had reasns why the legislatin is written the way it is. If we are asking them fr mney, it might nt be wise t questin their judgement. Cmmissiner Karen Seel said she is the nly sitting member wh ges way back with TBARTA and has heard the TOD and CSX presentatins many times. Cmmissiner Seel is happy t have them cme and present again, and likes hearing new infrmatin, but is nt sure CSX has any new infrmatin but is willing t always listen. Cmmissiner Seel des nt want the audience t think that this has nt been brught r addressed by TBARTA, because it has been. There is a lng histry here, but wuld like t see smething finally happen. Adjurnment 12:12 p.m. TBARTA Bard Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2018 Page 7 f 7

36 Fr additinal inf visit: Original Reference: Janicki, A., D. Wade, & R.J. Pribble TBEP Technical Reprt # Histric Results: Year Old TB Hills. Bay Middle TB Lwer TB 1975 Red Red Red Green 1976 Red Red Red Yellw 1977 Red Red Red Red 1978 Red Red Red Yellw 1979 Red Red Red Red 1980 Red Red Red Red 1981 Red Red Red Red 1982 Red Red Red Red 1983 Red Yellw Red Red 1984 Red Green Red Yellw 1985 Red Red Red Yellw 1986 Red Yellw Red Green 1987 Red Yellw Red Green 1988 Yellw Green Yellw Green 1989 Red Yellw Red Yellw 1990 Red Green Red Yellw 1991 Green Yellw Yellw Yellw 1992 Yellw Green Yellw Yellw 1993 Yellw Green Yellw Yellw 1994 Yellw Yellw Red Red 1995 Red Yellw Red Yellw 1996 Yellw Green Yellw Green 1997 Yellw Green Red Yellw 1998 Red Red Red Red 1999 Yellw Green Yellw Yellw 2000 Green Green Yellw Yellw 2001 Yellw Green Yellw Yellw 2002 Yellw Green Green Green 2003 Red Yellw Green Yellw 2004 Red Green Green Yellw 2005 Green Green Yellw Yellw 2006 Green Green Green Green 2007 Green Green Green Green 2008 Yellw Green Green Yellw 2009 Yellw Yellw Green Green 2010 Green Green Green Green 2011 Red Green Yellw Green 2012 Green Green Green Green 2013 Green Green Green Green 2014 Green Green Green Green 2015 Yellw Green Yellw Green 2016 Yellw Green Green Green 2017 Yellw Green Green Green 2017 Tampa Bay Water Quality Assessment A Tampa Bay Estuary Prgram Initiative t Maintain and Restre the Bay s Seagrass Resurces Backgrund Light availability t seagrass is the guiding paradigm fr TBEP s Nitrgen Management Strategy. Because excessive nitrgen lads t the bay generally lead t increased algae blms (higher chlrphyll-a levels) (Figure 1) and reduce light penetratin t seagrass, an evaluatin methd was develped t assess whether lad reductin strategies are achieving desired water quality results (i.e. reduced chlrphyll-a cncentratins and increased water clarity). Decisin Supprt Apprach Year t year algae abundance (measured as chlrphyll-a cncentratins) and visible light penetratin thrugh the water clumn (depth f secchi disk visibility) have been identified as critical water quality indicatrs in Tampa Bay. Tracking the attainment f bay segment specific targets fr these indicatrs prvides the framewrk frm which bay management actins are develped & initiated. TBEP management actins adpted in respnse t the annuallyassessed decisin supprt results are shwn t the right Decisin Matrix Results Water quality as measured by chl-a remained acceptable cmpared t FDEP criteria fr Hillsbrugh Bay, Middle Tampa Bay (MTB), and Lwer Tampa Bay (LTB)(Table 1; Figure 2). The nuisance algae, Pyrdinium bahamense, was again reprted in Old Tampa Bay thrughut the Summer and Fall 2017, cntributing t an OTB large magnitude chl -a exceedence in that segment (matrix t the left). Furthermre, individual statin exceedences thrughut OTB were bserved in relatin t the blm event (Figure 3). Effective light penetratin was at acceptable levels in all bay segments (Table 1). Ttal N Algae Water Lads (Chlrphyll-a) Clarity Green Stay the Curse. Cntinue planned prjects. Reprt data via annual prgress reprts and Baywide Envirnmental Mnitring Reprt. Cautin Alert. Review mnitring data and nitrgen lading estimates. Begin/cntinue TAC and Yellw Management Bard develpment f specific management recmmendatins. Red On Alert. Finalize develpment and implement apprpriate management actins t get back n track. Table 1: Observed water quality indicatrs & recmmended Seagrass Grwth & Reprductin Figure 1: Guiding paradigm fr Tampa Bay seagrass restratin thrugh the management f nitrgen lads. management utcmes fr Chlrphyll-a (ug/l) Effective Light Penetratin (m -1 ) 2017 Target 2017 Target Bay Segment Management Respnse OTB Yellw HB Green MTB Green LTB Green Cnsulting supprt prvided by Janicki Envirnmental, Inc. Cntinuing water quality mnitring supprt prvided by the EPCHC. Figure 2: Histric chlrphyll-a annual averages fr the fur bay segments. Chlrphyll-a cncentratins exceeded FDEP criteria fr Old Tampa Bay in Figure 3: Map depicting 2017 individual statin chlrphyll-a annual values in Tampa Bay. Sherwd, E.T., and G.E. Raulersn Tampa Bay Water Quality Assessment. Tampa Bay Estuary Prgram Technical Reprt #01-18 TBEP, St. Petersburg, FL. 1

37 Year FDEP Criteria Met: Old TB Hills. Bay Mid. TB Lw. TB 1978 N N N Yes 1979 N N N N 1980 N N N N 1981 N N N N 1982 N N N N 1983 N N N N 1984 Yes Yes N Yes 1985 N N N Yes 1986 N N Yes Yes 1987 N Yes N Yes 1988 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1989 N Yes Yes Yes 1990 N Yes Yes Yes 1991 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1992 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1993 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1994 N N N N 1995 N N N Yes 1996 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1997 Yes Yes Yes Yes 1998 N N N N 1999 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2000 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2001 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2002 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2003 N Yes Yes Yes 2004 N Yes Yes Yes 2005 Yes Yes Yes N 2006 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2007 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2008 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2009 N Yes Yes Yes 2010 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2011 N Yes Yes Yes 2012 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2013 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2014 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2015 N Yes Yes Yes 2016 Yes Yes Yes Yes 2017 N Yes Yes Yes Prgress Twards Meeting Regulatry Gals An initiative f the Tampa Bay Nitrgen Management Cnsrtium (NMC) Maintaining Reasnable Assurance & TMDL Cmpliance In Nvember 2017, the FDEP accepted the Final Reasnable Assurance Update (RA Update) as submitted by TBEP in partnership with the Tampa Bay Nitrgen Management Cnsrtium. FDEP cncluded that the RA Update demnstrated bth attainment f seagrass targets and ttal nitrgen numeric criteria fr During 2017, three f fur bay segments (excluding OTB) were in cmpliance with the FDEP regulatry criteria fr chlrphyll-a cncentratins (matrix t the left). The first cmpliance reprt fr the perid will be submitted by March Chl -a Mnthly Variatin Cmpared t Chlrphyll-a cncentratins were evaluated within the bay n a mnthly basis (Figure 4) during 2017 and cmpared t prir years levels. Eight f the twelve mnths fr OTB had chl-a cncentratins higher than lng-term median values, while Hillsbrugh Bay had elevated cncentratins in Octber. Elevated cncentratins in Old Tampa Bay were primarily due t Pyrdinium bahamense blms. High mnthly values are highlighted by the yellw vals belw. Fig. 4: 2017 mnthly chlrphyll-a bay segment averages (red dts) cmpared t mnthly distributins frm (blue bx plts). Bxes Tampa Bay Seagrass Cverage Cntinues t Increase Figure 5: Histric seagrass acreage estimates fr Tampa Bay frm (Surce: TBEP & SWFWMD). encmpass the 25th and 75th percentiles, while whiskers bund pints within 1.5 interquartiles frm the bx. Blue dts represent utliers. Tampa Bay s seagrass recvery cntinued n a psitive trajectry, as an additinal 1,360 acres f seagrass cverage was reprted frm 2014 t The baywide cverage is nw estimated t be 41,655 acres as f 2016 (Figure 5). Fr the first time, seagrass cverage exceeded bth the baywide target (38,000 acres) and the ttal estimated seagrass cverage in the 1950s (40,420 acres). It shuld be nted that the 2016 estimates were derived frm aerial phtgraphy acquired prir t rainfall and unanticipated sewer releases during summer f 2016 and runff effects f Hurricane Irma in September The next SWFWMD seagrass cverage estimates will be develped frm aerial phtgraphs acquired ver the winter 2017/18 perid. Mre infrmatin n the Bay s seagrass recvery utilizing transect mnitring data can be fund in the recent TBEP Technical Publicatin # Sherwd, E.T., and G.E. Raulersn Tampa Bay Water Quality Assessment. Tampa Bay Estuary Prgram Technical Reprt #01-18 TBEP, St. Petersburg, FL. 2