Visit Tampa Bay is seeking a $5.5 million increase in its marketing and advertising effort. Shown is the TECO Streetcar, a popular tourist vehicle between downtown Tampa and Ybor City. [ Visit Tampa Bay ]
This article was first published by the Tampa Bay Times on Dec. 16.
The InVision Project includes construction of a 1.3 mile-long extension and new modern vehicles as preferred alternatives.
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By Hayden Randolph
The TECO Line Streetcar is bringing more foot traffic to Ybor City as free public transit looks to expand across Tampa.
The streetcar is nearly three miles of track connecting the Channel District to historic Ybor City as a joint project between the City of Tampa and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority. Local business owners in Ybor say it’s been a boon for pedestrian traffic this time of year.
“The trolley delivers both locals and tourists to major hotspots throughout Downtown, the Channel District, and Ybor City,” Joshua Cascio, communications and public outreach coordinator for the city of Tampa’s infrastructure & mobility department. “It brings paying customers directly to its stops and often introduces people to places they might not have driven to otherwise.”
Offering free rides means users bring their spending elsewhere, Cascio said.
“The system is on time, reliable, and leaves riders in a good mood making them more likely to grab a meal, buy a gift, or pick up a keepsake,” Cascio said. “And because it’s free, riders’ budgets go toward local spending, not transit.”
Tampa Bay Brewing Company opened its doors in Ybor City in 1997 and relocated to the Centro Ybor plaza in 2006.
“There is no parking, so having a trolley stop by is very nice, especially with foot traffic from the port,” said General Manager Tessa Koppenhafer. “The trolley is a huge asset.”
Most of the customers coming to Centro Ybor from the streetcar are sports fans and concert goers, she said.
“I do not see a lot of people using the trolley outside of sports, concerts and conferences, but we are thankful for the ones we get,” Koppenhafer said. “Most of our business are locals and regulars who have been coming for years.”
The first streetcar lines came to Tampa in 1892. They reached peak popularity in the 1920s and stopped operation in 1946. With years of support from the Tampa & Ybor City Street Railway Society, streetcars resumed in 2002.
During its peak, Tampa Bay’s streetcars spanned 53 miles of track. Even at the end of World War II, the only Florida cities with a streetcar transportation system were Tampa and St. Petersburg.
Tampa is studying potential expansions of the streetcar through its InVision project. The preferred alternatives include the construction of a 1.3-mile long extension to the track. The current replica streetcars could be replaced with modern vehicles.
“The plan would extend the route into Tampa Heights, running from Brorein Street up Florida Avenue, west on Columbus Drive, south on Tampa Street, east on Whiting Street, and back down Franklin Street to Brorein,” Cascio said.
The project is not yet funded, but the city is exploring options. Cascio said free ridership and a vintage experience makes the trolley popular.
“It’s cool, fun, safe, and best of all, it’s easy. Just get on and get off.”