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Iorio Will Make Final Pitch For East-West Toll Road

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By RICH SHOPES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

TAMPA - The East-West toll road might have some life yet.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage the decades-old project, Mayor Pam Iorio said Monday she will ask the state's toll road authority, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, to consider building the three-mile highway between New Tampa Boulevard and Interstate 275.

"I think one more try with the turnpike authority is in order," the mayor said. "There is a lot invested already."

If the turnpike authority isn't interested, the mayor said, she will look at eventually bringing a rail line to New Tampa, which has some of the worst congestion in the city. About 60,000 vehicles a day use Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in New Tampa.

The toll road project appeared dead last week. The city and Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority killed a deal with road builder Plenary Group over concerns about high tolls.

The private consortium with offices in Canada and Australia offered to finance the $150 million highway and operate the road but only if it could charge $1.50 one-way tolls the first year and $2.75 five years later. Tolls would be indexed to inflation after that.

Iorio and other officials called the rates unacceptable. Before declaring the project dead, she said, officials will consult Turnpike Enterprise next month to see whether the agency can take on the project.

If the East-West toll road does fall through, it will free up money that could go to other projects in the area. The city already has kicked in $4 million for land and studies related to the three-mile highway and set aside $12 million for a bridge to connect to the road.

The county offered another $4 million toward the bridge.

"We still have the right of way and still have the property set aside for drainage. And we have done a lot of environmental and road studies," Public Works Director Steve Daignault said.

The toll road would have been the first public-private road built in Florida.

Turnpike Enterprise, which operates the Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway, said it can't comment on Iorio's proposal until it analyzes it and looks at other projects in the pipeline.

Three years ago the authority backed away from the project, citing its funding limit.

At the time, the authority proposed variable pricing for the road. Peak, rush-hour fares of $1.25 would recede to 75 cents at off-peak times. The funding scheme would have permitted Turnpike Enterprise to build the highway but wouldn't have left enough money afterward to operate and maintain it.

"We have not been contacted by the city of Tampa yet, so until they contact us it would be premature to say what has changed, if anything, since then," Turnpike spokeswoman Joanne Hurley said.

Some New Tampa residents are frustrated work hasn't begun after 20 years of debate.

"Now we're back at square one and the congestion level has people pulling their hair out," said Frank Margarella, president of New Tampa Community Council civic group. "We're going to get like L.A. Somebody has to show some political courage."

William Martello, president of Heritage Isles Home Owners Association, said politicians should have dedicated money to the project years ago instead of courting the private sector.

Now, he said, the area risks catastrophe because Bruce B. Downs Boulevard is too narrow for the thousands of cars it would have to carry if the area is forced to evacuate.

City Councilman Joseph Caetano, whose district includes New Tampa, said he plans to convene a meeting of the city's traffic experts in the next week or so to discuss options for the road.

"I don't know if the city could bond the project," he said, "but I think we have enough talented people that perhaps we should have a study, not pay anybody, just put some talented people together and come up with some options."

Iorio said the city can't afford a $150 million highway project on its own.

If Turnpike Enterprise won't take on the project, she said, the city could consider a rail line linking New Tampa, the University of South Florida and downtown. That would take years and likely involve federal and state dollars.

"I don't think there are many options," she said.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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