Community Enhancement Program

THEA is a local, user-financed public agency. We are financed through revenue bonds which means we are solely supported by user tolls, using no tax funding. This makes us an agency that is deeply embedded in the communities we serve. We develop projects that address urban congestion to improve and safety and quality of life and projects that activate spaces to enhance the community. Through our Community Enhancement Program, you’ll see public art throughout the county that we have commissioned, green spaces that have benches, lighting and landscaping, green spines near our expressways, and dog parks that we maintain for our neighborhoods. 

A few of our Community Enhancement Projects:

  • Swann Avenue Underpass

In partnership with the neighborhood associations, THEA upgraded and improved the landscaping, lighting and sidewalks.

  • Frames on Franklin

An artwork installation in downtown Tampa in partnership with the City of Tampa and Tampa’s Downtown Partnership.

  • Agua Luces

Lights on Tampa, in partnership with the City of Tampa, the Expressway’s bridge over Hillsborough River is one of five illuminated bridges to help brighten the downtown experience.

  • Brandon Tower Public Art

Seventeen feet tall and six feet wide, this public art was brought to the Brandon community in partnership with the Greater Brandon Arts Council and the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce.  

  • Deputy John Kotfila Memorial Dog Park

When Hillsborough County Deputy John Robert Kotfila, Jr. lost his life to a wrong-way driver on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in March of 2016, we wanted to do something to honor his legacy. After we had learned about the strong bond between Deputy Kotfila’s and his German Shepard, Dexter, we decided to dedicate the Selmon Greenway dog park in his honor. The park is located at 705 Raymond Street, underneath the Selmon Expressway behind the Bell Channelside Apartments.

  • Tampa Play Nice

We commissioned world-renowned local artist Bask Holstomsky to create a mural under the Selmon Expressway to enhance the dog park space. The message is “Play Nice” for our dogs and people.

  • Selmon Statue at the Lee Roy Selmon Pocket Park

In honor of the namesake of our expressway and community leader, we dedicated a heroic size bronze statue sculpted by Joel Randell to Lee Roy Selmon. The bronze statue is located on the Selmon Greenway in one of our pocket parks.

To be a part of the communities we serve, we go out in the communities. We talk to neighborhood associations, public leaders, and organizations that want to know more about us. If you would like us to present to your local organization, please contact [email protected]. 

To be considered for the THEA Community Enhancement Project

  1. A Neighborhood Association decides on a project and a point of contact
  2. Neighborhood Association decides on how they will partner with THEA
  3. Association submits project details to THEA with a $600 (fully refundable) fee
  4. THEA and the Neighborhood Association meet to discuss needs and plan
  5. THEA determines which fiscal year the project’s budget fits into.