In this episode, Garrett sits down with Johnny Wong, Executive Director of the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization, to break down Tampa Bay’s future. They cover why public demand for rail keeps colliding with political realities, the $29 billion funding gap in Hillsborough’s long-range plan, how suburban sprawl drives congestion, and what projects like the TECO Streetcar extension, Brightline, and airport-to-downtown transit could mean for the region. From smart traffic signals to bold ideas like highway removals, this conversation explores the tough choices that will shape Tampa’s next 25 years.

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:05:00 - Autonomous Vehicles

00:15:00 - Urban vs. Suburban

00:20:00 - Job Centers

00:25:00 - Cultural Shift

00:39:30 - Access 2050 Plan

00:47:00 - State and Federal Funding

00:53:00 - Individual Priorities and Lifestyles

01:09:24 - A grant to improve public engagement

01:17:18 - TECO Streetcar

01:28:34 - The Regional Infrastructure Accelerator Grant