The City of Tampa is proud to attract federal funding once again for its longstanding public transit needs. Announced this week, the City will receive a $1 million Technical Assistance Grant from the US Department of Transportation through the Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program (IFACGP). This has been made possible thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The additional $1 million will boost the region’s efforts to develop more transportation and housing options in the Bay area. Combined with the federal grant for the Tampa Bay Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) office, this funding will act as seed money to bring in experts who will help fast track major transit and transit-oriented development (TOD) projects by leveraging public-private partnerships and subsidized construction costs. By centralizing these efforts, the area can get creative with its transportation challenges and goals as a region, rather than competing against one another.
"We are so grateful to our federal partners who recognize the potential that lies within the Tampa region. We know if we don't address serious transportation improvements, literally, our growth will come to a halt - we won't let that happen. Expanding transit and affordable housing options remain two of my top issues, addressing them together ensures maximizing value and building towards a brighter future for all residents," said Mayor Jane Castor.
Some of the projects to benefit from this funding include the Streetcar expansion, high-speed rail, rapid bus transit routes, safe streets and more. These are critical projects needed to meet the demand of our growing city by providing more affordable options for residents to get to and from essential services, schools, and housing. By planning housing and transit projects together, we will get the most bang for our proverbial buck.
“Through the bipartisan infrastructure package, the Biden-Harris Administration is helping cities, states and transit agencies develop projects on underused properties—including tens of thousands of housing units over the next decade,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The grants we’re announcing today will allow communities to partner with the private sector, develop and deliver transit-oriented projects on public assets, and get more housing and other public benefits and services completed more quickly.”
The City of Tampa is among 45 public entities to receive this grant funding, which totals nearly $45 million.