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Citizens' input on HARTline nearly nil

One woman from New York wandered in and told the informational meeting some ugly truths.

By AMBER MOBLEY
Published December 11, 2005

NEW TAMPA - Two journalists.

Two HARTline employees.

It looked as if no one else was going to show up to HARTline's "Vision 2016" meeting Thursday.

The meeting aimed to get citizen input on improving the bus line. But the citizens didn't come. No one was there when it started at 6 p.m., and by 7:45 p.m., the room was just as empty.

Then Anita Altman came in.

"Are they bringing mass transit up here?" she asked in a light voice with a slight accent.

"Why, yes we are," said HARTline representative Steve Taylor. "Would you like to hear a 10-minute presentation about it?"

"Shoo-wa. Why not."

Altman just happened to be at the New Tampa Library that night.

"I was shocked when I moved down here and found no mass transit. I'm from New York. I'm used to ferries, buses, subways," she said, "being able to get there from here."

"People don't ride the bus here," Altman said.

"We're trying to change that mind-set," Taylor told her.

"Well, you can't change it with crappy service," she replied matter of factly.

Altman doesn't ride the bus and probably never will, she said, because the buses run every hour and that's not often enough for her. Hillsborough County isn't designed with bus service in mind; buses don't have their own right of way or a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane to make transit quicker.

Bus stations are too few and far between, Altman said. "My daughter came down here from New York, and I could not believe how far south I had to drive to get her to a bus."

Believe it or not, this is what Taylor, the HARTline representative, wanted to hear.

"One thing we haven't done in the past is go out into the community to get input," Taylor said. "We think we know what the people need, but people in the community can tell us better."

Two new express routes are being added to serve the New Tampa area in January, per commuters' request.

Route 52X will take two north- and southbound trips in the morning and the evening originating in Pasco County on State Road 56 and traveling Bruce B. Downs and I-275 to downtown Tampa.

Route 51X will also take two north- and southbound trips in the morning and the evening, originating in Pasco County on state road 56 and also ending in downtown Tampa, but taking I-75 South to I-4 and returning to New Tampa via I-275.

The buses servicing New Tampa will have free wi-fi, so riders will be able to check their e-mail or do work before getting in the office.

"We're hoping to attract some "choice' riders," Taylor said, "people who have the choice of driving or riding."

HARTline hopes to attract more people to the new bus routes than it did to the New Tampa community meeting.

The concept of public transportation is new in New Tampa, which explains the lack of attendance, Taylor said. He expects much more public interest at the meetings planned for areas that are more accustomed to using bus service.

With traffic as bad as it is now, it's only going to get worse if current population growth trends continue.

The population of Hillsborough County has nearly tripled since 1960 according to HARTline calculations, and if current trends continue, more than 1.2-million people will be living in the county by 2015.

HARTline is aiming to get more cars off the road.

Two additional rounds of community sessions will be held in spring 2006 to obtain public comment on alternative strategies and the recommended plan.

The HARTline board plans to present a plan summarizing community needs and recommended strategies next June.

At the end of Thursday's presentation, Altman was still doubtful.

"I wish you luck, buddy."

HARTline plans to hold at least 13 more community meetings in the coming weeks. Here are the locations and times for meetings in north Hillsborough:

Dec. 13, 5-8 p.m., Temple Terrace Library, 202 Bullard Parkway, Temple Terrace.

Dec. 13, 5-8 p.m., Jimmie B. Keel Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Lake Magdalene.

Jan. 10, 6-9 a.m., University Area Transit Center, 13110 N. 27th St., Tampa.

HARTline is also accepting feedback through online surveys via its Web site, www.hartline.org

[Last modified December 10, 2005, 10:13:05]