Transportation

Tampa International Airport officials are bracing for an influx of holiday travelers coming into and leaving the Tampa Bay area.

The airport saw a record number of passengers during the spring break season and the number of travelers during the 2017 Thanksgiving week was seven percent higher than their busiest year thus far.

Officials said they are expecting this trend to carry over into the Christmas and New Year holidays.

New bills filed in the Florida House and Senate would create a "Statewide Alternative Transportation Authority” and repurpose $60 million out of an existing rail fund to fund alternative transportation projects - such as "Bus Rapid Transit" and autonomous vehicles – starting in the Tampa Bay area and Miami.

A draft of a state audit into Tampa International Airport's $2.3 billion expansion has raised questions about the airport's spending and executive salaries.

Jeffrey Seward has been named as Interim Chief Executive Officer of HART, replacing Katharine Eagan, who resigned effected Jan. 5 to be the CEO of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pa.

The HART Board of Directors announced the move Monday, while they conduct a national search for a permanent replacement. 

Three people are dead after a man drove the wrong way on a major interstate on Florida's west coast.

As travelers head to airports during the busy holiday week, airport security officials have a message: Don’t try to bring your guns on the plane.

Public bus riders in Hillsborough County are in for some major changes this week. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority calls it "Mission Max."

Supplying gasoline to evacuating Floridians is a top priority according to the governor. 

That has meant an accelerated tempo at Port Tampa Bay, which provides the gas, aviation fuel, diesel and oil to Central Florida and the Tampa Bay region.

Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature passed a law that banned local governments from regulating ridesharing companies.

This opened the door for the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority to approve a contract this week with Uber, Lyft and Wingz allowing them to pick up customers curbside at the airport. But they'll pay for the privilege.

Gov. Rick Scott spent the past week touting the state's move ahead of Texas in the overall number of passengers boarding airplanes.

Several hundred people showed up Wednesday night at the first of many planned public meetings to discuss revamping the Tampa Bay area's transportation system. It's a reboot of TBX - Tampa Bay Express - which would have added more than 90 miles of toll lanes to existing free Interstate highways.

It's now called Tampa Bay Next.

The controversial plan to add express toll lanes to Tampa-area Interstate highways is getting a redo. TBX is gone - in its place is Tampa Bay Next.

It still includes express lanes on a rebuilt Howard Frankland Bridge, but adding toll lanes to Interstate 275 is now up in the air.

State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Kris Carson says this is an opportunity to hear what area residents have to say.

Tampa International Airport had a record number of passengers during Spring Break.  Spokeswoman Emily Nipps said part of that growth is coming from new and expanded destinations from airlines that already serve the airport.   

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit is adding Tesla model X's to its pilot program which it hopes will bring more bus riders on board.

Cesar Hernandez of HART says they're trying to address the "last mile" challenge of riders getting to the bus stop or getting home after a long day. Hyperlink will take bus riders for an extra fee.  And riders can pay cash and even call to book the ride if they aren't able to use the app. 

But let's face it, some people have historically not ridden the bus because they're in a hurry. 

The Cross-Bay Ferry pilot project, which connects the downtowns of Tampa and St. Petersburg, will cease its run at the end of this month. But it has provided valuable information about the habits of would-be riders.

Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik is a project advisor. And on behalf of his firm, Akerman, he's helping to put together a public-private partnership between Hillsborough County and the ferry service providers for a different ferry project.

A bill that would eliminate building toll lanes on existing free interstate highways was shot down in a committee in the Florida House. It was voted down 8 to 6 in a House transportation committee, after passing through a similar committee in the state Senate.