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Quarterback Needed In Transit Drive

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2007

Much rides on the ability of a new regional board to bring area towns, cities and counties together to fix transportation problems larger than any single jurisdiction can tackle.

Business leaders cheered when the Legislature created the Tampa Bay Area Transportation Authority, known as TBARTA. Finally, there would be a local focus on cross-county issues, and even after Gov. Charlie Crist vetoed startup money, the vision of better expressways and transit was bright.

But when Crist named retired football star Shelton Quarles chairman of the board, transportation advocates were stunned. Why him?

Quarles, a sensational defensive player and local philanthropist, had never weighed in on transportation issues, much less taken a lead. So far, he has been difficult to reach and has had little to say, which is not reassuring.

TBARTA needs a quarterback, not a linebacker. The region is losing the congestion game and needs a fast score.

Competing interests vie for a very limited transportation budget. A key issue is how to build a transit network that serves the needs of urban commuters throughout the metropolitan area.

The seven-county transportation authority has no power to tax, so to build express bus service or train lines, someone must convince member counties, or at least Hillsborough and Pinellas, to tax themselves to start the system.

A successful effort will require exposing the hidden agendas of land speculators and activists.

And it will keep the focus on the biggest problem, the increasing difficulty of workers to get to their urban and suburban jobs. Residents here spend more of their pay on transportation than in almost any other city. The streets are among the most dangerous for pedestrians.

Quarles brings to the table a fresh perspective. Perhaps the Vanderbilt graduate can sort through the conflicting interests and build a consensus. But the odds are he will be quickly frustrated.

The minute he feels the task is hopeless, he should step aside and let someone more experienced take the lead. The stakes are high, and the Tampa Bay area cannot afford to lose.

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