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University
North Transportation Initiative |
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Transportation
Information Service This newsletter was created to inform, update, and
educate members of the University North Transportation Initiative and the public
on local mobility issues, projects and developments. June 2001 Vol. 5 No. 9 Buckle Up! Traffic-related
injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults, ages six
to 27. This, according to the latest
survey from Buckle Up Florida, who joined state, county and municipal law
enforcement agencies throughout Florida on the "Click It or Ticket"
enforcement campaign May 26th to June 3rd. Efforts will continue to
increase Florida's safety belt compliance throughout the year. The goal is to increase the safety belt
compliance rate by seven percent and convince motorists to buckle themselves
and their children every time they occupy a vehicle. Currently Florida's safety belt usage rate is 65 percent. An increase of only seven percent would save
approximately 111 lives and prevent 2,397 injuries. Crash Facts ·
Hillsborough County is among the "top ten"
counties with the highest number of motor vehicle fatalities. ·
Most serious crashes involve impact speeds of less than 35
mph. ·
Three out of four crashes causing death occur within 25
miles of the crash victim's home. ·
Failure to buckle up contributes to more fatalities than any
other single traffic safety related behavior. Pollutants
Linked to Heart Attacks
Air pollution has been identified as an
increased factor in heart-attack risks, according to a recent study released by
Harvard University. A study of nearly
800 Boston-area patients who experienced heart attacks were found to have
experienced their symptoms during times of high daily air pollution. Boston meets federal air quality standards
and is not considered to have excessive air pollution. This raises concerns of an even greater risk
of heart attacks for residents of cities with greater pollution, such as
Houston and Los Angeles. Currently, Tampa is rated an “Air Quality
Maintenance Area,” meaning it has not exceeded the EPA’s National Ambient Air
Quality Standards, as established by the federal Clean Air Act. Due to stringent changes in the way
emissions will be measured, however, Tampa will become a “Nonattainment” area
next year. The study found that within two hours and
within 24-hours after exposure to increased levels of certain particles, the
risk for heart attacks peaked. Cars,
power plants and industry, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves emit such
pollutants. Reducing the number of
automobile trips, combining short errand-trips, and driving outside the peak
hours of travel (morning and evening rush-hours) can minimize the amount of
vehicle emissions released into the air.
For more information on how to amend your driving patterns to minimize
the effects of pollution, contact the University North Transportation
Initiative, at 974-9799, or visit our website at www.commuterservices.com. Streetcars in
Tampa In Spring 2002, air-conditioned
streetcars are expected to begin operating along 2.3 miles of rail running from
the western edge of Ybor City through Channelside to the Marriott Waterside
Hotel in downtown Tampa. Front door
service will be available at all major venues along the way. Riders can expect a 22 minute ride between
downtown Tampa and Ybor City with 12 stops.
The streetcars will operate each day of the week with extended hours on
the weekend. A transportation plaza across from the
Marriott Waterside Hotel will allow pedestrians as well as people traveling by
taxi or bus to access the streetcars from downtown. A streetcar museum will be housed at Ybor Station, on the western
edge of Ybor city, to emphasize the
link to Tampa's past. Growth Management Bill Dies The
growth management bill that would have made communities deny new development
when schools are overcrowded died toward the end of the 2001 legislative
session. Even though Governor Jeb Bush
lobbied hard for the bill, the Republican-controlled house would not pass it. The only significant growth management
measures that passed were a few special-interest exemptions that favor big
developers and a program where taxpayers will pay rural landowners not to
develop their property. UNTI COMMUNITY NEWS: Emergency
Preparation The New Tampa Emergency Preparedness Committee
was recently created to identify potential emergencies and to draft plans on
how best to handle them. Plans will also be developed as to how to
disseminate disaster plans to residents, perhaps via publication in newspapers,
distribution through New Tampa schools, or on the New Tampa Community Council
website. Subcommittees will research emergency
plans for each major catastrophe that New Tampa could potentially encounter in
the future. Committee meetings will be
held on the second Tuesday of each month at the New Tampa Regional Library at 7
p.m. Bruce B. Downs
Update According to Tampa City Councilman Bob
Buckhorn, the city of Tampa will spend $2.7 million to "prepay " for
the widening of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard from I-75 to Richmond Place. The widening of the road, along with the
widening of the I-75 exit ramp at Bruce B. Downs, could begin as early as 2002
as a result of the City's funding. The
state had not planned the improvements until 2005. As Buckhorn stated,
"The situation isn't just an inconvenience, but a safety issue." Buckhorn also continues to urge New Tampa
residents to put pressure on county commissioners by emphasizing that if
improvements aren't made, residents, including area businesses, will move to
other communities. What is the
UNTI? The University
North Transportation Initiate (UNTI) is a public-private partnership that
provides a forum to address the transportation needs of the University North
Area. The University
North is the name given to a major destination area in Hillsborough
County. It contains a high
concentration of employment and commercial activity where traffic congestion
occurs. University North is the area
generally bounded by Busch Boulevard to the south, I-75 to the east, 22nd
Street to the west and Bruce B. Downs to the north. The UNTI's main
goals are to: Reduce traffic
congestion, Improve air quality, and Promote
alternative commute modes, such as carpooling, vanpooling, transit, bicycling,
or walking.
University
North Transportation Initiative A Public-Private Partnership Located at the
Center for Urban Transportation
Research (CUTR) University of
South Florida 4202 E. Fowler
Ave., CUT 100 Tampa, FL 33620-5375 (813) 974-9799;
974-5168 (fax) |
