Shaping Tampa’s Future: Growth, Access, and Mobility

Tampa has officially traded its small-town roots for a spot as one of the nation’s fastest-growing urban economies. From the upcoming rising skyline of GasWorx and Ybor City to the growing Channel District, billions of dollars in redevelopment are transforming our city into a denser, more connected urban center.

The Numbers Behind the Growth

The transformation isn’t just visual, it’s measurable:

• Population: Hillsborough County is projected to exceed 2 million residents by 2050 according to Hillsborough County (a 36% increase since 2020).
• Jobs: Employment in the Central Business District has surged by 32% since 2013, now exceeding 85,000 jobs based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s findings.
• Tourism: The region now welcomes 28.2 million annual visitors according to Visit Tampa Bay.

The Selmon Expressway: Keeping Pace

As Tampa grows, the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway grows with it. Serving as the primary regional gateway to downtown, the Selmon Expressway has seen traffic increase by over 80% in the last decade. We are now serving 1 million more unique customers than we did in 2019.

There are over $1 billion predicted in system needs over the next decade, excluding future expansion and modernization.

Meeting the Challenge

Nearly 98.6% of downtown jobs are filled by daily commuters, placing pressure on legacy expressway exits designed for a different era. As downtown becomes denser and foot traffic increases, our transportation system must evolve to manage the growing interaction between vehicles and pedestrians.