GOP convention will present traffic challenge to Tampa

Thousands of visitors expected to attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August 2012 will create a challenge for area transportation planners who must arrange for them to be able reach convention events, parties, shopping and other venues.

At the same time, the highways and transit system must accommodate the thousands of commuters who work in downtown Tampa.

Some transportation plans were outlined in the bid to bring the convention to Tampa, but it's likely multiple details must be worked out over the next two years.

The major issue will be getting people staying at hotels beyond Tampa's downtown area to the Tampa Convention Center and other downtown venues, in one of the nation's few cities without local rail transportation.

Add to that the estimated 37,000 to 45,000 cars that come and go from downtown daily.

Hillsborough County has about 19,000 hotel rooms, including 4,000 in downtown Tampa, said Bob Morrison, executive director of the Hillsborough County Hotel and Motel Association.

The Republican National Committee requested 15,000 rooms be blocked out in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Additional hotel demand is likely for the 50,000 to 60,000 people drawn to the convention, plus another 10,000 to 15,000 news media members.

So that means plenty of people will need transportation, from rental cars to taxis to charter buses to public transit, all mingling with Tampa Bay commuters and motorists on area highways.

Downtown access will be improved with HART's streetcar extension project that is scheduled to be completed by December. The 2.4 mile route between Ybor City and the western terminus across from the Convention Center will expand by one-third mile north along Franklin Street to Whiting Street and the Fort Brooke parking garage.

The streetcars have a passenger capacity of 450-500 passengers per hour on six streetcars. HART also is looking at using its regular route system to serve convention attendees at Tampa hotels, said Tameca Johnson, interim public information officer for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

HART's first Bus Rapid Transit service, which is scheduled to begin in 2011 to connect the northeast suburbs with downtown on buses equipped with devises to get them quickly through intersections with traffic lights, could help alleviate commuter auto travel.

"We will encourage more people to utilize HART's bus and streetcar service," Johnson said. "We will issue various forms of communication to get the word out on the routes we serve and the services we provide. We will also encourage drivers ahead of time to park their cars and take HART."

HART does not provide charter bus service, but more than a dozen local bus charter carriers could arrange to provide service from outlying hotels to downtown Tampa.