Now popping up more and more amid the sea of political-candidate signage out there is an issue sign with an effectively direct message. It’s the blue-and-white “Vote For Countywide Transportation.” It doesn’t say “tax,” which is anathema to some, or “rail,” which is a red-flag to others, but it does say “countywide,” which counters any connotation that this is all about train-hugging city sorts.
As an issue, it’s about improving roads and doubling the bus system, especially in the shorter term. It’s about reining in sprawl, getting ahead of the pollution curve and positioning the area, especially the business hub of Tampa, for high-density development and the attraction and retention of business. It’s about this region’s future economic viability. But you can’t say all that on a sign.
Speaking of meaningful, modern mass transit, the Tampa Bay region and the I-4 Corridor are microcosms of what a recently released transportation analysis concluded. The report is a product of a panel of bipartisan transportation experts co-chaired by former secretaries of transportation Norman Mineta and Samuel Skinner. It stated that “The United States can’t compete successfully in the 21st century with a 20th century transportation infrastructure.”