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Several Tampa-area community groups recently joined forces to lobby for additional public transit options throughout the region.

Last week, the executive committees of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, Westshore Alliance and New North Transportation Alliance passed a joint resolution that recommends all transportation agencies in the region:

• aggressively pursue new transit solutions that provide convenient, fast and affordable transportation options, including light and commuter rail, circulator systems and bus rapid transit;
• review priorities of existing funding sources and pursue new revenue sources to support improved transit service;
• support transit-oriented development;
• re-evaluate and update transit-rail alternatives cited in the Tampa Bay Commuter Rail Study and Tampa Rail Study; and
• pursue the establishment of transportation connections to all major regional activity centers.

“This is an economic development issue just as much as a transportation issue,” said Tampa Downtown Partnership Chairman Fred Dobbins in a prepared statement. “In order to maintain our competitiveness in attracting businesses and qualified employees, we need to provide multiple ways for people to get around.”