City of Tampa Strengthens Event and Work Zone Communications with one.network

Using Causeway Technologies’ one.network software, the City of Tampa is building a more connected way to plan, activate, and communicate right-of-way disruptions during major events such as Gasparilla, stadium operations, and other high-impact roadway activities.

Tampa is pairing pre-planned workflows with real-time activation using one.network modules including Plan Share and Live Link. The result: more accurate closure data, stronger internal coordination, and clearer traveler information shared through the channels drivers already use.

The challenge: the operating environment

High-impact events that change the travel experience quickly.

Tampa manages a broad mix of disruptions: major civic celebrations, stadium activity, utility work, contractor projects, and short-duration closures that can change the travel experience quickly. During high-profile events such as Gasparilla, the need for visibility intensifies because multiple stakeholders are involved and the public expects reliable information before and during the event.

In customer check-in discussions, City staff highlighted a practical challenge common to many agencies: closures may be known in advance, but if they are only entered from the field at the last moment, there is less time for coordination and more opportunity for inconsistency. The City’s objective is to standardize how major impacts are planned, approved, and communicated so everyone works from the same operational picture.

• 300,000+ attendees descend on core corridors and staging areas for Gasparilla
• Multiple stakeholders: internal teams, contractors, event partners, and the public all need the same picture
• Last-minute entry: closures known in advance, but entered from the field at the last moment
• Fast-changing: conditions shift quickly during high-impact, high-profile events
• No single source: inconsistency when teams aren’t working from one operational picture

Executive takeaway: Tampa is moving from fragmented event communications toward a single, operationally grounded workflow that improves both internal coordination and external traveler messaging.

The solution

How one.network supports Tampa’s strategy.

To standardize how major impacts are planned, approved, and communicated, Tampa is pairing pre-planned workflows with real-time activation using two connected modules of Causeway one.network, so everyone works from the same operational picture.

Plan ahead with Plan Share

With Plan Share, closures can be created ahead of time, mapped accurately, reviewed, and approved before crews are on site. This supports a more disciplined process for major events and reduces the need for last-minute manual entry. A repeatable, governed process for marquee events.

Activate in real time with Live Link

With Live Link, authorized users can activate or deactivate closures when traffic control is actually in place. That helps the City connect planning with field operations while maintaining clear accountability over who is opening and closing roads. A practical bridge between event planning and execution.

Communicate more clearly

By combining advance planning with real-time activation, Tampa improves the quality and clarity of the information it shares internally and externally. The result is a stronger foundation for communicating right-of-way impacts to staff, partners, and travelers.

Tampa, Florida: event corridors in Traffic Management, with an active closure on Bayshore Boulevard.

Results and outlook

Why this matters for Gasparilla and other large-scale events.

Gasparilla is one of Tampa’s signature events, drawing over 300,000 attendees and placing unusual pressure on core corridors, staging areas, and public communications. Events of this scale require more than a static traffic advisory. They require coordinated planning, defined ownership, and a fast path to real-time updates once conditions change on the ground.

300,000+ attendees dock in Tampa, Florida for the annual pirate festival, Gasparilla.

That is where Tampa’s one.network approach becomes especially valuable. Planned closures can be prepared in advance and aligned with operational review. Once event-day traffic control is in place, crews or authorized personnel can activate closures using Live Link. This creates a practical bridge between event planning and event execution, and gives the City a more reliable way to communicate changing conditions.

Operational impact: stronger internal coordination

• Improved consistency in how high-impact closures are reviewed and approved
• Less manual work required from field teams at the point of activation
• Stronger visibility into what is planned, what is active, and who is responsible
• Better alignment between event operations, contractors, and City staff

Public-facing impact: clearer traveler information

• Clearer disruption messaging for residents, visitors, and stakeholders
• Better support for traveler information workflows tied to major events
• More confidence that planned and active closures reflect real roadway conditions
• A stronger communications model for both recurring events and day-to-day right-of-way activity

The value

A scalable model for right-of-way communication.

Tampa’s discussions also underscore an important leadership point: successful event communication is not only about software. It also depends on governance, permissions, training, and clear operating roles. By defining who plans closures, who activates them, and how those activities connect, the City is building a repeatable model that can scale from marquee events to broader roadway operations.

For Causeway Technologies, this is the value of one.network in practice: a shared platform that helps agencies move from isolated closure updates to coordinated, trustworthy communication across the full work zone and event lifecycle.

“Tampa’s direction is clear: create one operational picture for major disruptions, then use it to communicate more confidently both inside the organization and out to the traveling public.”

Looking ahead

Successful event communication isn’t only about software. It depends on governance, permissions, training, and clear operating roles. Tampa’s model is built to scale across the full work-zone and event lifecycle.