HART Awarded $23.4 Million USDOT RAISE Grant

HART Maintenance Conceptual Master Plan

HART is excited to announce an award of $23,356,950 through the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The grant is the largest funding award in HART's history and will support Phase 1 of the Maintenance Site Remediation and Facility Modernization Project. Phase 1 of the Maintenance Site Remediation and Facility Modernization Project focuses on redeveloping a heavy maintenance facility site to meet the current and future needs of the HART fleet and operations and advances the agency’s mission to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable public transportation throughout Hillsborough County. Key components of Phase 1 include: Stormwater Remediation: Implementing stormwater management solutions to enhance environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance. Transit Vehicle Service Lane: Constructing a state-of-the-art service lane to improve the efficiency of vehicle maintenance and operations. Security Enhancements: Installing perimeter security fencing to ensure the safety and security of HART assets and personnel. The site remediation and modernization project lays the foundation for a modernized facility capable of supporting a fleet of up to 250 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Plans for the site include accommodating low-emission vehicles powered by CNG and/or hydrogen fuel, aligning with HART’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. “The RAISE grant funding is crucial and will enable HART to modernize our facilities and enhance operational efficiency, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable transit system,” said HART CEO Scott Drainville. “We thank the Department of Transportation for recognizing the importance of this project and supporting HART’s vision for the future of public transportation in our region.” The RAISE program is a highly competitive grant initiative that supports transportation infrastructure projects with significant local and regional impacts. Over 200 projects of merit competed for this funding, with a total cost of all projects at over $2.3 billion. The grant award underscores the importance of investing in transit infrastructure to drive economic growth, enhance mobility, and improve resident's quality of life. “Hillsborough commuters deserve modern, clean transit to get them where they need to go on time. Now, thanks to the historic federal Infrastructure Law, HART can modernize its operations with a $23,256,950 grant for clean buses and vehicles that are low-cost, low-maintenance, and better for our health. The HART fleet will be serviced at a new and improved resilient service center to benefit everyone in Tampa and Hillsborough County. I’m thrilled that federal infrastructure investments and RAISE Grants are saving local taxpayers money at a time they need it.”

Impact of Friday Evening Storm on HART Facility

Following a severe weather event that recently went through our area Friday evening, HART faced significant challenges in ensuring the continuity of transit services for several hours. The HART Transit Operations Facility lost all power, which included vital infrastructure such as the generator, radio tower communications and data-center information systems.

Emergency work on HART's main generator

The effects of these high-impact, pop-up weather events underscore the urgent need for support to harden our transit operations infrastructure. To address these challenges effectively, HART is actively pursuing a US Department of Transportation (US DOT) RAISE Grant, requesting $23.4 million. This grant is crucial for HART to begin addressing our facility needs and improve the resilience of infrastructure for current and future weather and climate risks.

"We are at a critical juncture in maintaining the operational readiness of our transit services when strong-impact storms affect our Operations & Heavy Maintenance Facility," said Kemly Jimenez Green, HART Director of Communications. The support from a US DOT RAISE Grant will play a pivotal role addressing infrastructure and bolstering our resilience against future disruptions."

HART’s RAISE grant application (The Project) seeks funding specifically for the first phase of the site remediation and modernization, which will be followed by the demolition and rebuilding of the 45-year-old heavy maintenance facility. The Project will improve the safety of the traveling public through improved routine maintenance of the buses as well as safer facilities for HART staff. The Project will address environmental sustainability through the provision of nature-based solutions for stormwater remediation and improving resilience of infrastructure for current and future weather and climate risks.

HART has remained committed to providing reliable transit services to our community despite these challenges. Thanks to highly skilled Controllers, Transit Supervisors, Bus Operators, and Paratransit Drivers – HART continued to deliver service out on the roads –avoiding any systemic customer disruptions Friday evening.

HART values the ongoing support and collaboration of our community partners and stakeholders, especially Tampa Electric for restoring power to HART as quickly as possible. This allowed HART to service and maintain vehicles overnight and resume transit operations this morning for all our customers.

Flooding in the inventory room