3 Tampa Bay civic updates: SunRail, Tampa Bay Water, and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport

We’re shining some light on the latest expansions and transportation changes across the Tampa Bay area.

Tampa Convention Center

A boat drifts by the Tampa Convention Center and downtown Tampa’s growing skyline.

Photo by US Customs and Border Protection

Trying to stay up to date with the new Tampa condo towers, dining scene, and civic updates can feel like trying to drink from a fire house. As usual, we’re here to help break down what you need to know:

SunRail + Brightline project

Dreams of cross-state public transportation might be closer to reality than you think. Orange County leaders just voted to spend $500,000 on a study evaluating the Sunshine Corridor.

The project would connect the SunRail and the Brightline rail services to shuttle folks from Miami all the way up the state. And one day the service could extend out to Tampa.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport expansion

The Pinellas County airport is gearing up to add 150,000 sqft to its passenger terminal. And the project just got a huge new source of funding, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reports.

Pinellas County Commissioners just approved the use of $6 million in grant funding from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Tampa Bay Water expansion

And it’s a go. The utility is moving forward with its ~$181 million million surface water treatment plant project. Leaders estimate that the project will expand its yearly average yield of existing surface water supply by 10 to 12.5 million gallons per day, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

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