Dear Congressman Soto,
On behalf of the nearly 40 regional business and non-profit leaders who compose the Tampa Bay Partnership, I request your continued support for Brightline’s CRISI grant application. The application seeks a 50% match of $15.875 million, so they can advance preliminary engineering to connect Orlando International Airport to the Tampa Bay area. This initiative will help connect 70% of Florida’s population via intercity passenger rail once the leg to Tampa is complete.
The expansion of high-speed intercity passenger rail connecting Central Florida with the Tampa Bay region has received overwhelming support from stakeholders and aligns with President Biden’s infrastructure priorities. Currently, I-4 has reached capacity and is rated one of the deadliest highways in America.
This project is a critical step in providing a mobility option that will help sustain the region’s economic growth and improve safety and the quality of life for residents and visitors. Ridership projections for this extension anticipate attracting about 2 million riders in the first year alone; 90% of these riders will be diverted from automobile use. This approach will vastly decrease traffic volume and greenhouse gas emissions on I-4 and increase access to jobs.
The investors of the Tampa Bay Partnership represent approximately 80,000 jobs and have a vested interest in initiatives that improve transportation and safety in the region, such as the Intercity Passenger Rail Project. We appreciate your consideration and strongly request you support Brightline’s CRISI grant request to expand high-speed rail in Florida.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Bemetra Simmons
President and CEO
Tampa Bay Partnership