After a marathon session that lasted more than eight hours, Hillsborough County transportation officials voted to keep the $6 billion Tampa Bay Express project in its long-term funding plan.

  • Hillsborough officials vote 12-4 to keep $6B Tampa Bay Express project
  • Vote came at 2:30 a.m. after more than 8 hours
  • Opponents: People in mainly minority neighborhoods will be displaced
  • RELATED: Tampa Bay Express website

The Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization voted 12-4 early Thursday morning to keep the controversial TBX plan, which would clear the way for toll roads to be added to the area's interstate system and transform transportation in the Tampa Bay region.

The vote, which came at 2:30 a.m. after a marathon public hearing with scores of speakers, allows the project to move forward but does not finalize it.

The MPO approves its Transportation Improvement Program every year, so funding for the various phases of TBX could still be up for debate in the future.

The early-morning vote allows the county another year to continue to work out problems with the project without the threat of losing any funding for the project in the coming years.


Part of the TBX plan would be a toll lane along Interstate 275 with toll rates that would fluctuate based on traffic demand.

As part of its approval of the plan, the MPO board also asked the Florida Department of Transportation to give it regular updates about the project, including the impact it will have on residents and the environment.

FDOT said the project is designed to speed up traffic by widening portions of Interstate 275, Interstate 75 and Interstate 4. It would also create toll lanes with rates that vary anywhere from 15 cents to $2 a mile.

Supporters said TBX is critical to keep Tampa Bay competitive. They complained to MPO board members that they are stuck in traffic for hours, especially during the morning and evening commutes.

Plenty of speakers

Almost 200 speakers signed up to give their opinions on the project, which would reshape Bay area roadways with toll roads, an expanded I-275 and I-4, a reworked downtown interchange and new highway lanes into Pinellas and Polk counties.

Speakers opposed to the project — and there were many — said the new roadwork would cut through older, mainly minority neighborhoods, leaving many people without a place to live. They also complained about the idea of a proposed toll lane along I-275 with toll rates that would fluctuate based on traffic demand.

"This is a very significant, pivitol vote," said Linda Saul-Sena, a former Tampa city council member who spoke against the vote. "And the potential downside to the neighbors and folks is really considerable.

"I am very, very concerned."

Still, there were speakers during the seven-hour public comments portion of the meeting who spoke in favor of the project, touting job creation and toll revenue that could reach the billions.

"I think this is a strong statement that this board is taking to continue to invest in a major transportation project," said Rick Homans, the CEO of Tampa Bay Partnership. "We all agreed this was the first of many steps forward."