Route of the Week: Route 8

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

This week, we feature the Route 8, which operates from Marion Transit Center in Downtown eastward to The Westfield Brandon Mall. Service operates 7 days a week with Weekday service from 4:45 a.m. - 10:20 p.m. and Weekend Service from 6:20 a.m. - 8:40 p.m.

In FY2016, the Route 8 is averaging almost 40,000 monthly riders and has operated over 8,000 trips!

Leaving from Marion Transit Center, the Route 8 parallels The TECO Line Streetcar System, providing bus service to Amalie Arena and The Tampa Bay History Center, before splitting with The Streetcar and heading up Meridian Ave. with a stop serving Grand Central at Kennedy, which houses Stageworks Theatre, Powerhouse Gym, as well as, a mix of restaurants and local shops.

The Route 8 is the only HART route to operate along 7th Ave.

Heading north on Channelside Dr. and Nuccio Parkway into the Ybor City area, where the Route 8 turns onto historic "La Séptima". The Route 8 is the only HART route to operate along 7th Ave., which was designated in 2008 as one of the "Great Streets in America" by the American Planning Association. The HART Administrative Office, Centro Ybor entertainment complex, GameTime and The Columbia Restaurant are just SOME of the destinations served along 7th Ave.

The Ybor campus of Hillsborough Community College is also just a short walk from 7th Ave.

The Larry Sanders Sports Complex is over 120 acres!

Continuing the trip east, the Route 8 travels through the Progress Village area, serving the 120-acre Larry Sanders Progress Village Sports Complex. The complex features four baseball fields, batting cages and two football fields.

Entering the Brandon/Riverview area, the Route 8 operates along Bloomingdale Ave., serving Winthrop Town Centre, a mix of restaurants, shops and services, before turning onto Providence Rd.

Your eastbound trip on the Route 8 ends at Westfield Brandon Mall, with connection to five different HART routes, including HARTFlex Brandon.

From Amalie Arena to La Séptima, HART Takes You There.
 

Route 8 operates from Marion Transit Center to Westfield Brandon Transfer Center