In a research conducted by a transportation analytics company called Inrix, drivers in Tampa spent an average of 27 hours in traffic congestion in 2016. In the same year, the research showed that the average time spent in the congestion cost the driver approximately $923 ( Sigo, 2014). In the United States, Tampa ranks number 15 in 2015 for the worst congestion, and globally it ranks position 202. It is, however, vital to appreciate that Tampa is a growing city and the increase in congestion is a reflection of the increasing population. Traffic is a major issue in the Tampa Bay Area caused by an increased in population of vehicles, and therefore measures should be taken to enhance highway expansion and secondly to incorporate alternative transit to cater for some of the commuting load.
One of the reasons that can be used to explain the recent increase in vehicles and the subsequent traffic congestion is the emergence of Uber and Lyft transport services that replaced the conventional taxis. Research has shown that these cub services have accounted for an extra 1500 new vehicles on the roads. The traffic in Tampa area has been a problem for several years with no permanent solution. The congestion experienced in the Bay area is expected to double in the next 20 years ( Sigo, 2014). Another reason to explain the recent rise in congestion is economic growth. Earlier in 2017, Forbes listed Tampa as one of the fastest growing metropolitan economies. A study conducted on the Tampa traffic showed that during the afternoon, 53% of the commuters in the Tampa metro area are usually stalled in a gridlock. A further 34% is locked in traffic congestion in the morning hours ( Sigo, 2014). Another reason that is suggested for the increased congested is the building boom that is experienced in the Bay Area that results in a rash of transportation.
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It is vital to note that solving traffic congestion is a developing metropolitan area such as Tampa would require heavy investment and policies. As earlier intimated, one of the major long-term solutions would be to expand the highway to accommodate the increased amount of vehicles from the transportation industries such as Uber. Highway expansion, especially in the bay region, would ease the congestion experienced in the morning as people to live the area to other places. Such a move would require a collaborative effort between the state, local, and the citizens who would be taxed more to ensure that they fund the project ( De Palma & Lindsey, 2011). Investing in technology is another important way in which solutions can be achieved with regards to the issue of road congestion in the area. Human errors on the roads also account for the congestion experienced in the Tampa Bay Area. Therefore, investing in technologies such as smart road signs and drones to guide and assess traffic respectively is a positive trend that can mitigate the commuter mistakes on the roads ( Rao & Rao, 2012). It is noteworthy that Tampa is a growing economy and more people are expected to own vehicles in the next couple of years. It is even approximated that the current situation will double in the next 20 years ( Sigo, 2014). As such, other than just expanding the roads, the state, in collaboration with the federal government can plan on creating a subway system that will not only ease the road congestion but give people an alternative solution.
Traffic is a major issue in the Tampa Bay Area caused by an increased in population of vehicles, and therefore measures should be taken to enhance highway expansion and secondly to incorporate alternative transit to cater for some of the commuting load. The future looks bad for the Tampa Bay region if measures such as the expansion of the highway, investing in technology, and the building of a subway system will not be implemented.
References
De Palma, A., & Lindsey, R. (2011). Traffic congestion pricing methodologies and technologies. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies , 19 (6), 1377-1399.
Rao, A. M., & Rao, K. R. (2012). Measuring Urban Traffic Congestion-A Review. International Journal for Traffic & Transport Engineering , 2 (4).
Sigo, S. (2014). Congested Tampa Bay Plans Bus and Rail Initiatives. Bond Buyer , 123 (34098), 1.
