On March 29, 2023, the Tampa Bay Citizens’ Academy on Transportation (TB-CAT, funded through the National Institute of Congestion Reduction, housed at the Center for Urban Transportation Research) program hosted a successful event at Tampa’s Union Station, highlighting its efforts to engage and educate community members about transportation issues in the City of Tampa. The event, which was attended by local leaders, transportation and urban planning professionals, and members of the public, showcased the program’s success in fostering greater understanding and collaboration between different stakeholders.
The event featured project posters and presentations from TB-CAT participants. Christopher M. Vela and Roger Grunke presented their TB-CAT projects to explain their transportation experiences as City of Tampa residents and described solutions to address transportation issues of importance to them. Matthew Pleasant, AICP, senior planning coordinator, and Alex Henry, AICP, Vision Zero team lead, both with the City of Tampa, provided in-depth background information on transportation and land use planning and identified several initiatives by the City of Tampa to reconnect the city.
“I am incredibly proud of the success of the TB-CAT program and its students, especially since it was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program has been instrumental in providing critical support and resources to our community, and we are grateful to the City of Tampa for their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of our citizens,” said Jason Jackman, PI for TB-CAT program.
“The City of Tampa has shown tremendous support in our efforts with TB-CAT. The program has allowed citizens to learn more about the transportation process,” said Tia Boyd, co-PI for TB-CAT.
Thank you to all the participants from this event and Brandie Miklus, AICP, for serving as the City of Tampa liaison for TB-CAT!
