In a rapidly growing region like Florida's Tampa Bay, the transportation networks must evolve with intention, according to Gregory Slater, CEO of the Tampa HIllsborough Expressway Authority (THEA).
With that in mind, his agency seeks to "create a community-focused, future-ready transportation ecosystem that delivers real-time solutions today while enabling innovations prepared to evolve into the system of tomorrow."
In an Aug. 20, 2025, article he wrote and released on the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) website, Slater reported that THEA's commitment is reflected in its July approval of a $752 million Work Plan for Fiscal Years 2026 through 2031.
With $692 million dedicated to infrastructure construction, the six-year investment plan is the result of data-driven project selection, community feedback and a long-term vision grounded in THEA's Strategic Blueprint, he said.
"Every project in our work plan is designed to achieve specific, measurable impacts to reduce congestion, improve safety and support the vitality of our region's neighborhoods," said Slater.
Among THEA's major capital investments are:
• The South Selmon Capacity Project, which aims to increase the capacity of the existing Lee Roy Selmon Expressway to help meet anticipated growth. The project includes community enhancements such as noise walls, underpass improvements with pedestrian infrastructure and a dog park and community space to activate public areas around the expressway.
• The Whiting Street extension will improve downtown access and reduce expressway bottlenecks during event nights at Benchmark International Arena, home of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning.
• The full integration of next-generation ITS infrastructure, a new roadside tolling system and a new Operational Back Office System (OBOS).
• A series of resurfacing and preservation projects across Meridian Avenue, Brandon Parkway and the broader Selmon system.
Investing in Community, Innovation
Slater noted that the future of tolling — and transportation in general — is multidimensional and is why THEA is dedicating resources to community enhancements and technology upgrades as core components of its Work Plan.
From the upgrade of the Meridian Health Trail to new green spaces like the 12th Street Park and the Bay to Bay Boulevard Community Park, THEA is threading connectivity into every corridor within its reach.
"This mindset supports a more walkable, livable Tampa where the region expands from the downtown nexus and acknowledges the vitality of the neighborhoods under and around the expressway," Slater said.
Technologically, THEA is making some of its most important system upgrades to date, including:
• replacing its current OBOS with a more intuitive, modular and intelligent platform that empowers users and improves real-time reporting;
• expanding its Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and deploying an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) to improve responsiveness across the network;
• strengthening its Wrong-Way Detection System on THEA's roadways; and
• taking its Connected Vehicle (V2X) integration, which the agency has championed since leading the U.S. Department of Transportation's first Connected Vehicle Pilot Deployment in 2015, to the next level.
"All these efforts are rooted in security-first design and upgrades to safeguard operational and customer data," according to Slater.
Leadership Through Stewardship
The entire $752M work plan funding is backed by a commitment to public value, fiscal responsibility and the return on investment experienced by THEA's customers with every toll dollar entrusted to the agency.
"It's why our board of directors unanimously approved the plan," said Slater. "As Vincent Cassidy, our board chair, noted, ‘These investments are rooted in fiscal discipline, strategic planning and a deep understanding of what our community needs to thrive for generations to come.' And that's the guiding principle for us at THEA: to anticipate what's next — and build it today."
Noting that tolling agencies around the world are facing unprecedented challenges, from rising customer expectations to the rapid pace of technological advancements and growing needs, he said THEA has learned that it can meet these challenges "if we center our work around the people we serve. They are the lens through which we make our decisions [for] our neighbors [and] our community.
"We hope our approach can serve as a roadmap or inspiration for other agencies in the IBTTA community," Slater said. "As a mid-sized tolling authority with an urban footprint, THEA continues to demonstrate how strategic reinvestment, nimble leadership and a commitment to innovation can drive meaningful change."
The Tampa HIllsborough Expressway Authority owns, manages and operates the Meridian Avenue, Brandon Parkway, Selmon Greenway and Selmon Expressway — the latter two of which are named after the late Pro Football Hall of Fame and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Lee Roy Selmon.
A 17-mi. all-electronic toll roadway, the Selmon Expressway, links Pinellas County, western Hillsborough County, downtown Tampa, Brandon and southern Hillsborough County. By feeding into the heart of Tampa, Selmon customers have an efficient and safe drive into the urban core. It also is the most direct route for residents and visitors commuting into and out of MacDill Air Force Base by reducing dangerous cut-through traffic along neighborhood streets.
THEA processes approximately 78 million toll transactions annually on the Selmon Expressway, serving nearly 4 million customers each year.
