ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority’s board is voting Wednesday to approve Hubbard’s Marina as the operator of the revamped, year-round ferry.
It was formerly known as the Cross Bay Ferry, which shut down in April over a contract issue.
Paciugo Gelato Caffe on Beach Drive in downtown St. Pete serves sweet treats.
Tuesday, though, the gelato was the backdrop to a press conference about something sailing in across the street, docking near the Vinoy.
“It’s going to help all of the business owners out,” Mark Safko, who owns Paciugo’s with his wife, said. “It’s going to bring people across the Bay.”
The Tampa Bay Ferry will transport them across the Bay to Tampa, local leaders say.
“Getting from downtown to downtown is not always easy,” Brandon Campbell, City of Tampa Interim Mobility Director, said. “So, having a more direct, convenient, reliable transportation option just unlocks additional economic growth and economic opportunity that we’re already seeing, of course, in our vibrant downtowns and surrounding areas in the region,” he said.
“Being able to have predictable and reliable ferry service between downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg is going to be game-changing,” Alan Clendenin, Tampa City Council Chair said.
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PSTA now oversees the ferry that sails between St. Pete and Tampa. PSTA says it chose Hubbard’s for its nearly 100-year history in the area and experience.
“It’s a great nod to the legacy of the family,” Tara Hubbard, CEO of Hubbard’s Ferry, said. “My grandfather, my great-grandfather, came to the region nearly a hundred years ago and actually ferried passengers back in the barrier islands before there were even bridges. Being able to offer this for our community is something that we feel very, very, very excited for,” she said. “It still doesn’t feel real to be here. We are beyond thrilled to get this started.”
By the numbers:
PSTA will use an almost $5 million Federal Transit Administration grant to buy or build one or two boats. Hubbard’s will help them with that process.
“That $4.8 million will really help kind of guide us in the right direction of what vessel or vessels we can purchase. So, that will also play into it. There are tons of options for us. There are used options out there, as Deborah [PSTA Board Chair & St. Petersburg City Councilwoman Deborah Figgs-Sanders] mentioned. There are new options, so it’s really going to be sitting at the table with our partners and making that decision collaboratively for the community,” Hubbard said.
PSTA will own the boats, which they say will help lower operating costs and the cost for the customer. Tampa and St. Pete will contribute $350,000 each annually towards operating costs for five years.
“This marks a pivotal period for our region as we collaborate to define the objectives of this new transportation system,” Figgs-Sanders said.
What’s next:
The goal is to set sail by the spring or the summer.
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“After tomorrow, once the ink is dry, being able to sit down and really view the opportunities out there and make that decision collectively, that will really determine the timeline. As we mentioned, we are looking for the right boat, the right vessel. So, being able to make that decision will definitely adjust the timeline,” Hubbard said.
They hope to dock the ferry near the Vinoy in St. Pete while a long-term dock is built behind the Museum of History. The dock in Tampa will still be at the Tampa Convention Center.
What they’re saying:
Local leaders say they hope this project gets the ball rolling and sparks next steps in other large-scale public transit projects to connect the Tampa Bay Area.
“I think people really get it that the Tampa Bay region needs to see a strong investment in our regional corridors, whether it’s on our highways, with premium bus service, commuter rail, or waterborne transit,” Darden Rice, Chief of Planning & Community Affairs for PSTA, said. “I think that this is going to be a very successful concept and I’m certainly very hopeful that that would be a domino effect to show people that when we invest in public transit, we’re investing in our economy, and we’re investing in our people.”
“From the outside, looking in, we’re all we’re all the same,” Clendenin said. “This is one large metropolitan city, and we have to start treating it like that. So, as we move people across the Bay, whether it is via rail, whether it’s a ferry, whether it’s on our trail system, everything is a piece of a much larger puzzle, and it’s about time we start using the waterways the way they should be used, the way other metropolitan areas around the world uses their waterways.”
The contract, if approved Wednesday, will span five years, with an optional five-year extension. PSTA and Hubbard’s will start working on the boat procurement process.
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The Source: This article was written with information provided by PSTA, and local leaders in St. Pete and Tampa.