HART Hearing Draws Crowd, Public Comments About Route 51X Change

By Matt Wiley

Opinions now officially are on the record, as New Tampa and Wesley Chapel riders of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) Route 51X had a chance to sound off about proposed changes to the area’s only bus route during a public hearing at the New Tampa Regional Library on July 8.

The hearing, which was attended by about 40 people from both the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas, was the third and most-attended meeting about the plans to change the express bus route that takes local riders to and from downtown Tampa in the mornings and evenings.

Among the three options proposed, Option 1 keeps the current express service to and from downtown, but adds daily local service along Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. in between those trips, while Options 2 and 3 eliminate the downtown service but add two different local service options along BBD, including service to the University of South Florida.

“Overall, the hearing went well,” says HART spokesperson Sandra Morrison. “Many residents came out to voice their opinions, which is something we were looking for. Most people that have commented to date prefer to keep the popular and needed express service, in addition to adding more service during the day. That’s why Option 1 has been the most popular.”

Ruthie Reyes Burckard, interim chief operating officer (COO) for HART, sat in on the hearing.

“It’s important as an agency that we consider the needs of our current riders,” Reyes said, adding that HART also has to look at future customers in the area who currently are not being served by the transit agency. “It’s been a long time that we’ve been looking at this area and part of our transportation development plan is to get service into this area. Right now, we’re looking at what we can do with what we’ve got.”

HART service planning manager Steve Feigenbaum told attendees at the hearing that the route change would be decided by the transit provider’s Board of Directors in September, and that changes could go into effect as soon as November, but likely wouldn’t happen until March of next year, due to budgeting.

Opinions varied during the meeting, although most of the attendees did favor Option 1.

“(51X) ridership is a consistent group,” said New Tampa resident Jill Sox at the meeting. “If you decide on Options 2 or 3, you’ll lose that group. You’re trying to serve two different ridership groups (by adding local service). I think you need to be more creative.”

Several attendees wanted to know why the route needed to change at all.

“Why is ‘no change’ not an option?,” asked Tampa Palms resident Mike Colitz.

Feigenbaum responded, saying that technically, no change is one possible option but, ultimately, that decision is up to the Board.

Florida Dist. 63 Rep. Mark Danish also attended the meeting to hear from his constituents who use the bus route.

“It sounds like we’re going backwards (with the changing of the route),” Rep. Danish said. “If we kill the express route, we’ll lose the current riders and kill the bus route and it’ll end up being taken away.”

For more information about the HART Route 51X, please visit GoHart.org.