May 11, 2021 (Tampa, Fla.) - On May 20, 2021, at 6:30 pm, the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) will host a Virtual Alternatives Meeting to discuss the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study. The Whiting Street PD&E Study includes options to connect Whiting Street to Meridian Avenue and the possible reconfiguration of the Selmon Expressway ramps at Florida and Morgan.

The purpose of the Whiting Street PD&E Study is to look at potential improvements for safety, capacity, and community enhancements, along with implementing a downtown Tampa grid network. This study looks at ideas for the eastbound downtown Tampa exit ramps and the Jefferson Street entrance ramp of the Selmon Expressway, as well as neighboring surface streets in downtown Tampa.

The Virtual Alternatives Meeting will include a narrated portion that will give interested persons an opportunity to hear the background and purpose of the project, the process to complete the Whiting Street PD&E study, and the alternatives being considered. Public comment is solicited at the meeting and throughout the Study period. To be kept informed of the steps in the project, please sign up for the study newsletter at selmonstudies.com.

The Alternatives Meeting on May 20, 2021, is the first step in sharing ideas – alternatives – with interested stakeholders and the public. The Alternatives Meeting is being done virtually so that anyone interested can attend.  A recording of the Alternatives Meeting will be available on the website at selmonstudies.com.

What: Whiting Street PD&E Study Virtual Alternatives Meeting
When: Thursday, May 20th at 6:30 pm
How: Register by visiting http://bit.ly/whiting_pde

April 26, 2021 (Tampa, Fla.)  – John Weatherford participated in his first Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Board Meeting following his appointment to the Board by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

“It is an honor to join the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority Board of Directors, and I am excited to work with such a distinguished group of leaders,” said newly appointed THEA Board Member John Weatherford. “THEA is a highly respected agency that prides itself on being an innovative leader in the transportation industry. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and THEA staff to provide our community with safe and reliable transportation solutions.”

John Weatherford is a Senior Vice President at M.E. Wilson Company an elite provider of insurance, risk management, and employee benefit services. Also, John is the founder and Managing Member at Golden Rule, LLC, a philanthropic-focused advisory firm.

Before this, John spent almost a decade in banking, gaining extensive corporate finance experience and trained in all aspects of banking. John received his banking certification from Louisiana State University’s Graduate School of Banking and his BA from Saint Leo University’s College of Business Administration; he also attended the University of West Georgia for his AA in Accounting.

Presently, John lives with his wife in Tampa, Florida, where he is involved in several community organizations such as Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA), Lymphoma & Leukemia Society, Leadership Tampa Bay, Abe Brown Ministries, Association for Corporate Growth, and more. In the past, he held responsibilities with nonprofit organizations, including OnBikes, FCA, and Junior Achievement. In his spare time, John enjoys his church, basketball, running, reading, and spending time with his family.

“I cannot be more thrilled with Governor DeSantis’ appointment of John Weatherford to THEA’s Board of Directors,” said THEA Board Chair Vincent J. Cassidy. “John’s experience both as a businessman and a civically-minded member of our community will be an asset to this Board and to the entire Agency.”

“John Weatherford is a great choice to join THEA’s Board of Directors,” said THEA CEO Joe Waggoner. “John’s forward-thinking approach to business fits perfectly with THEA’s mission to be a driver for innovation in the Transportation Industry. As THEA continues to grow, the Board and the Agency will look to John to provide his thoughts and advice on how to improve our already high standards of success, and I have no doubt he will play a pivotal role in the years ahead.”

John Weatherford replaces Shaun Oxtal who was appointed to THEA’s board in August of 2017 by then Governor Rick Scott.  “We thank Mr. Oxtal for his explementary service and leadership to THEA’s Board of Directors,” added Mr. Cassidy.

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About THEA: 

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a public agency of the state, created by the Florida Legislature, to provide local, user-financed transportation services that reinvest customer-based revenues back into the Tampa Bay community. THEA owns and operates the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue, and the Selmon Greenway; designed and operates the world’s first reversible all-electronic toll road; and provides over 200,000 daily travelers with safe, reliable, and financially sustainable transportation solutions.  For more information on how THEA is moving transportation forward, visit www.tampa-xway.com.