CLEARWATER, Fla. — As vacationers come to town, the city of Clearwater just made it a whole lot easier to park your car and get to the beach this spring break season.
For a fifth year, the free park-and-ride service is returning to Clearwater Beach starting March 1 and will run through April 30, the city announced in a news release. Beachgoers will be able to park in a free designated lot and then hitch a free ride on the trolley to the beach.
Take a look at the trolley schedule:
Monday – Thursday: Every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday – Sunday: Every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The trolley runs until 10 p.m. on Sundays.
Drivers can park for free on any day of the week at the former Clearwater City Hall located at 112 South Osceola Ave., according to the city. There's a trolley station there where people can board, or there are two other boarding areas located at the Clearwater Beach Transit Center and the Clearwater Beach Marina.
When you're ready to leave the beach, service to the parking lot boards at the Clearwater Beach Marina at 25 Causeway Blvd.
Weekend traffic at Clearwater Beach can get heavy, that's why the city has added more parking on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's located at these three spots:
- 310 Court St. (County Garage)
- 450 Oak Ave.
- 440 Court St.
"Clearwater Beach continues to thrive as one of the top destinations in the state of Florida. While there is plenty of room to spread out over three miles of our sugar sand beaches, finding a place to park your vehicle can be challenging at times," Lisa Chandler, operator of the Pier 60 concessions and founder of the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, said in a statement.
"Alternative modes of transportation like the Jolley Trolley, buses and water taxi services are crucial to the success of our barrier-island economy and vitality, as they offer a convenient, cost-effective way to experience the best of Clearwater Beach."
The free park-and-ride service provided by the city of Clearwater and Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority comes as more than 50,000 cars drive through the Clearwater Beach roundabout on a typical spring break day, the city says.