Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties previewed plans for a joint pilot program to create a shared system for ranking and funding transportation projects across the Tampa Bay region.

The Tampa Bay Transportation Project Prioritization Pilot will test a process to decide how limited dollars get spent on roadways, sidewalks, trails and public transit, according to the pilot's website. The Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is leading the effort with the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Forward Pinellas.

The three agencies posted announcements on social media Oct. 16. Each described the pilot as "coming soon."

For residents in Land O' Lakes, Odessa and Lutz, the pilot matters because those unincorporated communities have no city government. County commissions and regional planning bodies make the road-investment decisions that shape daily commutes along corridors like US 41 and SR 54.

The three planning agencies have been moving toward closer cooperation for years. In 2023, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore merging into a single Tampa Bay MPO, according to Plan Hillsborough. A Transportation Management Area (TMA) Leadership Group has since agreed on a proposed board structure with 25 voting members, the maximum allowed under state law. Transit agencies and the Florida Department of Transportation would serve as non-voting advisors under that framework, according to a Plan Hillsborough update.

At an April 17, 2026, meeting, the leadership group discussed requiring approval from both a majority of the full MPO board and a majority within each county's delegation before key planning documents could advance.

The pilot involves the same three agencies exploring that potential merger. The pilot website describes three goals: coordinated planning across county lines, data-driven project evaluation and community input on priorities.

A 2023 survey on the potential merger drew 1,700 responses across the three counties, with Pasco accounting for 8% of respondents, according to Plan Hillsborough's survey results. Top budget priorities from that survey included building new rapid transit systems, widening or extending major roads and maintaining or improving bus service.

Pasco County PIO said on X that opportunities for public input on the new pilot are coming. No specific dates, public meetings or comment deadlines have been announced.

Residents can visit TampaBayTransportationPriorities.com for updates on how to participate.