THEA, Connecting Tampa Bay

At THEA, we’re connected to the Tampa Bay region.

It begins with owning and operating vital roadways in our transportation system, but it doesn’t end there.

Download this page as a brochure (pdf document): TEX-495 Community Brochure Comp At THEA, we’re connected to the Tampa Bay region in many ways. It begins with owning and operating vital roadways in our transportation system, but it doesn’t end there.

Yesterday and Today

THEA was established as a regional toll authority by the Florida legislature in 1963. We are governed by a 7-member board, made up of local residents and elected officials so that the toll revenue stays in Hillsborough County, where it’s invested in our roadways and the community we serve.

Four Key Transportation Links

We own and operate four properties in the Tampa Bay region. The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway connects East and South Tampa through downtown. We also own Brandon Parkway and Meridian Avenue, two roads that feed the Selmon Expressway’s Reversible Express Lanes. These two roads also have bicycle and pedestrian paths adjacent to the roadway. Our final link is the Selmon Greenway, an urban trail that runs through downtown Tampa, connecting the Riverwalk to Ybor City, mostly under the shade of the Expressway.

Financial and Economic Highlights

You may be (pleasantly) surprised to know that:

We receive no tax funding

Our operational, maintenance and administration costs are paid for by user fees (tolls), while our projects are finance by toll-supported revenue bonds.

We operate like a business

All new projects must meet rigid tests of financial feasibility to assure that our facilities and operations are financially sustainable.

We are a major contributor to regional economic development and job growth.

We have enabled $1.4 billion in business sales and the creation of 10,000 jobs in a variety of industries.

Award-Winning Innovations

We are known as a leading innovator in the transportation field, introducing solutions that have been recognized and adopted around Florida and the world. These include: • The world’s first Reversible All Electronic Toll Road • Florida’s first All Electronic Toll Road • The first Florida Expressway to convert the entire system to All Electronic Tolling

Fast Lanes to the Future

As a partner in Automated and Connected Vehicle Technology, we are helping Tampa and Florida, become an important center of research, development, and implementation for these technologies.

Automated Vehicle Technology

The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway is a USDOT-certified test bed for developing this technology, and the only one to be able to test in a closed-course environment and live traffic environment on the same course.

Connected Vehicle Pilot Project

Connected Vehicle technology enables vehicles to communicate with one another, for improved safety and more efficient roadway usage. THEA has a contract with USDOT to equip 1,600 passenger vehicles, 10 busses and 10 streetcars with communication devices that can exchange traffic and safety information with other vehicles and roadway infrastructure.

Florida Automated Vehicle Summit

The Summit assembles industry leaders from around the world to address technologies, operations and policy issues related to the implementation and deployment of autonomous and connected vehicle technologies.

Upcoming Projects

Selmon West Extension

Providing regional travelers with a choice – and local residents with improved traffic flow – the Extension is a 1.6 mile toll lane located in the median of Gandy Boulevard. www.SelmonExtension.com

Greenway Pocket Parks

As we continue to enhance the Selmon Greenway, the next step is four pocket parks in the downtown section.

Giving Back

As a local tolling authority, we are connected both on the roadway and off.

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.