Naples to Tampa in 15 minutes? 'Loopy' idea could make it a reality

For all the joys of living and working in the Tampa Bay area, one of the region’s less appealing traits — some might call it an Achilles’ heel — is transportation. Traffic congestion has eased somewhat during the pandemic, but that (hopefully) won’t last. The region and state’s booming population means alternative modes of transportation will need to be part of long-term planning.

The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) came up with a long-term feasibility plan for a $455 million, 41-mile bus rapid transit system that would link Wesley Chapel in the north to downtown St. Petersburg in the south. But the organization is also thinking outside the box — you could even say it’s thinking inside the loop.