Tampa Port Director Not Fond of Hub

Click title for link to story. In May, the Florida Legislature rejected the state Department of Transportation’s agreement with CSX Railroad to buy 61 miles of track in Central Florida. But since the purchase agreement doesn't expire until next year, supporters are preparing for a second legislative battle next spring. The railroad wants to shift freight trains out of Orlando and send them through downtown Lakeland and Plant City to a proposed 318-acre hub in Winter Haven. Supporters say when completed, the transportation hub, or, integrated logistics center, could be one of the pre-eminent rail-to-truck distribution centers in the Southeast. The hub is scheduled to open next year, and will undoubtedly change the transportation future in the Tampa bay area. That’s considered to be positive for the Port of Tampa, but Port Director Richard Wainio didn’t seem that enthused about it today. Wainio is a member of the Hillsborough County Metropolitian Planning Organization (MPO), which met today in Tampa. He said the traffic on State Road 60 and other highways in eastern Hillsboroough County will continue to grow with increases in the population. The traffic from the new hub could be a disadvantage to Hillsborough County, he said. Wainio said the Winter Haven hub would reduce truck traffic coming from Georgia on