We are an Award-Winning Agency

THEA is an agency that is recognized for our innovative and forward-thinking approach to regional transportation. Our agency’s projects are focused on enhancing the lives of the people in the regional communities we serve while smartly addressing the need for improved safety and mobility. This year, we won numerous major industry awards including, the International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association Toll Excellence Award for Customer Service and Marketing for our outreach effort in support of the neighborhoods and businesses along the Gandy Boulevard Corridor during the construction of the Selmon West Extension, the 2019 Best of ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) Award for our innovative and effective Connected Vehicle Pilot Project, and recognition from the U.S. Department of Transportation as the most successful Connected Vehicle Pilot Project on the ITS DataHub Platform. 

Our story has always been one of innovation. When we constructed the Reversible Express Lanes (REL), it was a first-of-its-kind facility. The REL was the first all-electronic reversible express lanes in the world and it was the first all-electronic expressway in Florida. The road addresses urban congestion by combining the innovations of concrete segmental bridges, reversible express lanes, and all-electronic tolling, winning almost two dozen local, state, national and international awards. 

Each award is reflective of a driven and collaborative team that is devoted to their community. A big thank-you to all our community partners, our team and our supporters for helping THEA become a recognized leader, not just in Tampa Bay, but across the globe.

Outreach & Awards FY19

  • THEA Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Sue Chrzan, Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Businesswoman of the Year Honoree
  • THEA Sponsored the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce Business Expo
  • THEA Wins 2018 Hillsborough County Planning Commission’s Award of Merit for the Selmon Greenway Pocket Parks
  • THEA Executive Director & CEO, Joe Waggoner Won the 2018 Hillsborough County Planning Commission’s Chairman’s Award 
  • THEA Hosted the 2018 Florida Automated Vehicles Summit
  • THEA Hosted the CV Pilot Showcase for the USDOT
  • THEA Began Construction of the Selmon Extension
  • THEA’s Pocket Parks Along the Selmon Greenway Won the Tampa’s Downtown Partnership “Activating Spaces” Award 
  • THEA began $40 million Upgrade to its Traffic Management System – Paving the Way for Connected Vehicles in Downtown Tampa 
  • THEA CV Pilot Presented at the Transportation Research Board’s Annual Meeting
  • THEA Partnered with the Society of Engineers (SAE) to host the First Publicly Accessible Automated Vehicle Ride
  • THEA Hosted an SBE Opportunity Forum with HNTB
  • THEA Supported the Pinellas Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Initiative
  • THEA Hosted the USF/Selmon Expressway Balsa Wood Bridge Contest for Hillsborough and Pasco County Middle and High School Students
  • THEA launched CV Pilot Program with over 1,000 participants
  • THEA Chief Financial Officer, Amy Lettelleir, Tampa Bay Business Journal’s CFO of the Year Honoree
  • THEA Hosted Starsky Robotics to Test a Self-Driving Truck on the Upper Deck of the Selmon Expressway
  • THEA Supported and Presented to the Florida State Minority Development Council 
  • Winner – Best of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Award – THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot
  • THEA Hosted the Lee Roy Selmon Statue Unveiling Ceremony 
  • Launched the Selmon Extension App
  • THEA Proudly Supported and Hosted the National Assoc of Black Women in Construction
  • THEA Supported and Volunteered at the Department of Defense’s Warriors Games 2019
  • Hosted Congressman Ross Spano for a CV Pilot Tour
  • THEA Executive Director & CEO, Joe Waggoner, Speaker at Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) 
  • THEA Hosted Delegations from Korea and Japan to Test CV Pilot Technology
  • THEA Supported the Minority Enterprise Development Conference 
  • THEA Board Member and Secretary, Danny Alvarez, speaker at the IBTTA Communications Summit
  • Winner – IBBTA Marketing & Communications Award – THEA Selmon Extension/Shop Gandy! USDOT Recognition for Most Active CV Pilot program in the nation
  • THEA Wins Creative Loafing Best of the Bay Awards for Best Dog Park 
  • THEA Hosted 4 Small Business Enterprise Industry Forums 
  • THEA Hosted 2 Virtual Town Hall Meetings 
  • THEA Hosted 6 Gandy Boulevard Business Owners’ Engagement Meetings