A study to examine a proposed bus rapid transit route (BRT) from Wesley Chapel to St. Petersburg will move forward.
The 41-mile route would connect the suburb to the Sunshine City via I-275, on which it would have its own designated lane, and it is supposed to have stops at the University of South Florida, downtown Tampa and in the Westshore area. It would be one of the longest BRT systems in the country.
According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority just approved a $5 million, three-year contract to have WSP USA Inc. do a project development and environment study.
The study — which may take 18-24 months to complete — is supposed to define dedicated lane investment, locations for stations and phasing strategies for a project that may cost $400 million to build. Funding for the route may comes from state grants and other sources.
The New York-based company was the only respondent to a request for qualifications and bids.
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This article appears in Apr 25 – May 2, 2019.