Streetcar, Brightline, or Highways | What’s Next for Tampa Transit?

In this episode, Garrett sits down with Johnny Wong, Executive Director of the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization, to break down Tampa Bay’s future. They cover why public demand for rail keeps colliding with political realities, the $29 billion funding gap in Hillsborough’s long-range plan, how suburban sprawl drives congestion, and what projects like the TECO Streetcar extension, Brightline, and airport-to-downtown transit could mean for the region. From smart traffic signals to bold ideas like highway removals, this conversation explores the tough choices that will shape Tampa’s next 25 years.00:00:00 - Introduction00:05:00 - Autonomous Vehicles00:15:00 - Urban vs. Suburban00:20:00 - Job Centers00:25:00 - Cultural Shift00:39:30 - Access 2050 Plan00:47:00 - State and Federal Funding00:53:00 - Individual Priorities and Lifestyles01:09:24 - A grant to improve public engagement01:17:18 - TECO Streetcar01:28:34 - The Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Grant