New Study: Selmon Expressway Saves Tampa Bay Drivers Time and Money While Supporting $2.1 Billion in Regional Gross Domestic Product
TAMPA, Fla. (August 24, 2026) – An economic impact study from the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) finds that the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority’s (THEA) Lee Roy Selmon Expressway is delivering significant economic and quality-of-life benefits to residents, businesses and communities throughout the Tampa Bay region.
Since its inception, THEA’s investments in the Selmon Expressway system and its ongoing operations have generated approximately $2.1 billion in regional gross domestic product. The findings represent significant growth from THEA’s 2022 economic impact study, which reported $1.6 billion in economic impact.
“This significant growth reinforces what we see every day. Strategic transportation investments do more than move people. They help strengthen our economy, expand opportunity and support the continued growth of the communities we serve,” said Greg Slater, THEA CEO and Executive Director.
Some of the study’s most significant findings go beyond dollars and demonstrate the value of time. According to the study, the Selmon Expressway saves the average commuter approximately 29 hours each year.
“The data show that the Selmon Expressway is doing more than improving mobility. It is helping drive economic activity throughout the corridor,” said Sisinnio Concas, PhD, PMP, the report’s author.
CUTR’s analysis found that without the Selmon Expressway, congestion delays across the broader road network would increase by 27 percent, adding approximately 500,000 hours of additional delay every day as traffic shifts onto surrounding local and arterial roads.
“The Selmon gives commuters more time back in their day, connects people to more jobs, and helps businesses move more efficiently. That is the kind of return we want our transportation investments to deliver to this community,” added Slater.
For residents in the Selmon Expressway’s primary service area, the expressway puts approximately 64,800 more jobs within a 30-minute commute, increasing the number of jobs they can reach by 15.2 percent.
That connectivity is also supporting local businesses. More than 16,700 businesses (nearly 20 percent of all businesses in Hillsborough County) and nearly 170,000 jobs are located within one mile of the Selmon Expressway. Approximately 90 percent of those businesses employ fewer than 20 people, reflecting the important role small businesses play throughout the corridor.
“The Selmon Expressway is part of the economic infrastructure of this region,” said Vince Cassidy, THEA Board Chair. “It connects neighborhoods to jobs, businesses to customers and employees, and people to the places they need to go. As Tampa Bay continues to grow, our responsibility is to make investments that improve mobility while strengthening the communities around us.”
Approximately $2 billion has been invested in the Selmon Expressway system. THEA continues to reinvest toll revenues into transportation improvements designed to address the region’s growth, improve safety and reliability and better connect the communities it serves.
Read the complete CUTR report: https://tampa-xway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/THEA_Economic_Impact_Study_Final_Report.pdf
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About Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA)
Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is an award-winning and dynamic transportation agency committed to enriching lives by connecting communities. THEA owns, manages, and operates the Selmon Expressway system, which includes Meridian Avenue, Brandon Parkway, and the Selmon Greenway. As part of its mission, THEA continues to reinvest revenue generated by its assets back into the community through innovative infrastructure projects, safety enhancements, and economic development initiatives. THEA processes 78 million toll transactions and serves almost 4 million customers annually. For moreinformation, visit www.tampa-way.com.
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About CUTR
The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida is a nationally recognized transportation research center dedicated to advancing innovative transportation solutions through research, education, workforce development, and public service. For more than four decades, CUTR has worked to improve mobility, safety, and quality of life in Florida and beyond. Learn more about CUTR’s research at https://www.cutr.usf.edu/research/.
