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Yesterday, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority’s (HART) board agreed to analyze ridership and routes for a proposed light-rail extension in the Tampa, Fla., area. The authority plans to build light-rail lines and expand bus service if voters approve a sales-tax referendum in November.

The proposed 1.8-mile light-rail extension would run from a proposed HART bus transfer station at Spruce and O'Brien streets to Tampa International Airport.

HART’s board plans to evaluate the ridership/route study at its Aug. 2 meeting, and review local preferred alternative recommendations at its Aug. 16 meeting. The authority then would conduct public meetings and workshops in late August or September to review the light-rail plan.

After a plan is selected — and if the sales-tax referendum is passed — HART would apply to the Federal Transit Administration for funding to complete engineering work.