THEA CV Program Is Moving the Needle on Driving Tampa Forward

Since 2015, THEA has been working with the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to integrate Connected Vehicle concepts into effective roadside elements, enhancing operational transportation capabilities. To date, the alerts have warned 14 wrong-way drivers on the REL ramp, helped drivers avoid 9 potential trolley crashes, and gave approximately 1,500-speed advisories a month on the Selmon Expressway exit ramps. These alerts bring life-saving consequences and reduce conflicts that can lead to car crashes. The USDOT estimates that connected vehicle technology can reduce crashes by 80% once fully implemented.

Being an early adopter of this innovative technology, THEA is putting Tampa on the map with their THEA CV Program and the valuable open data that is being shared as a result of their connected vehicle implementation. The next phase in the Connected Vehicle technology space is to begin working with Acura, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota to deploy vehicles with connected vehicle technology. THEA’s collaboration with these auto manufacturers is the first of its kind and aims to provide the next evolution of delivering safer transportation to communities across the country.

The THEA Connected Vehicle Program aims to:

• increase safety (eliminate crashes and reduce traffic conflicts);
• enhance mobility (improve travel time and travel time reliability);
• help sustain the environment (optimize energy consumption for lower emissions);
• contribute to the development of rules and regulations in the Connected Vehicle space;
• transform the experience of the pedestrians, motorists, and transit.

These goals are a part of our agency’s commitment to the Vision Zero strategy that the City of Tampa started implementing in October 2019. By working collaboratively, THEA and our partners are using smart city technology to make transportation through our urban core and beyond safer for pedestrians, transit riders, and drivers.