A screen grab from animation showing high-speed rail leaving Tampa's future station.

 

ORLANDO - Last week's election results cast a measure of uncertainty over Florida's high-speed rail prospects, but Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said Tuesday a proposed station complex could help revitalize a center-city area south of the Interstate highway junction.

The Tampa mayor described a rail station intended to foster redevelopment in the central business district, reconnect neighborhoods north of Interstate 275 and add a downtown attractor similar to the impact of the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the Tampa Riverwalk, Channel District redevelopment, and the city's new museums.

"High-speed rail will provide iconic architecture for downtown and enhance the assets of an area still in need of redevelopment," Iorio said.

Iorio made her remarks on the second day of a rail forum that drew more than 1,800 people to learn about prospects for projects and jobs affiliated with the proposed Tampa-Lakeland-Orlando high-speed route.

The city will be in the national spotlight if Obama Administration plans for the first U.S. high-speed rail station materialize in 2015, Iorio said.

Plans call for the high-speed trains from Orlando and Lakeland to arrive and depart from an elevated platform, with passenger and retail areas in other parts of the station. The high-speed rail station project is not far enough along to solicit bids for a design, so details of costs and funding are not available.

Iorio said the station that would be adjacent to the Marion Transit Center bus hub will accommodate light rail at some future time.

Local, state and national political issues raised by politically conservative politicians regarding high speed rail funding, along with the local defeat of a sales tax increase that would have funded light rail connections to Tampa's high-speed rail station, have complicated the outlook for Florida's high-speed rail project.

Asked Tuesday what he is thinking currently about Florida's rail projects – and about two other Republican governors' recent decisions to turn away federal funds for such projects – Scott said, "I want to look at the final feasibility study and make sure that there's return for the taxpayers of this state. And so, I'll review it when we get to see the final numbers."

The Obama Administration has directed $2.05 billion to Florida, and the state has $280 million in available matching funds, leaving construction of the project about $350 million short, which private sector contractors could provide.

Reporter Catherine Whittenburg contributed to this report.

tjackovics@tampatrib.com(813) 259-7817