HART Tampa Arterial BRT Study

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) contracted Benesch in 2019 to identify the most appropriate corridor for a premium Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service connecting Downtown Tampa and the University of South Florida. The corridor was envisioned as a key element of HART’s long-term BRT strategy, first identified in 2005, to provide a fast and reliable express connection between two of Tampa’s major activity centers.

Planned in three phases, the project’s first phase focused on identifying a locally preferred alignment that would meet Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant (CIG) requirements and qualify for federal funding. Benesch conducted public and stakeholder outreach, assessed street-level transit service improvements, and evaluated enhancements to supportive transit and non-motorized infrastructure along the corridor and intersecting streets.

In the second phase, Benesch refined the alignment based on operating needs, station placement and running way design, preparing 30 percent design plans for key sections of the corridor. The third and final phase advanced the design to 60 and 90 percent completion for the initial segments prioritized for implementation as a low-cost alternative version of the BRT service.

The study advanced HART’s vision for high-quality, multimodal transit service by addressing long-standing mobility needs, improving connectivity and laying the groundwork for future BRT expansion in the Tampa region.