ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For hundreds of people in one St. Pete neighborhood, public transit no longer comes at a premium.
A new first-of-its-kind partnership between the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association (HKNA) will provide unlimited bus and trolley rides for neighbors.
“This new approach that we're launching today will help write the next chapter in St. Petersburg,” PSTA CEO Brad Miller said. “Each resident in the neighborhood will be able to have access to convenient and reliable transportation at no additional cost.”
“This will make it easier for people to commute to work, attend school, access healthcare services, and take part in community activities," he added.
That includes rides to downtown St. Pete or on the SunRunner to local beaches. HKNA is paying a discounted rate of $5,000 to provide unlimited pass cards to their 600 members, without raising fees.
“It is a huge deal, when you can go and hop on a bus to go anywhere around here, especially the SunRunner to go to the beaches that's immeasurable. It's tremendous,” Michael Baker, a Kenwood resident, said. He and his wife MJ say they plan on riding public transit much more frequently.
It harkens back to a time 100 years ago when folks in the same neighborhood hopped on a street car to get around.
“We're basically bringing back what was an essential function of society,” St. Pete City Council Member Richie Floyd said.
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A function they say may help reduce the need for cars, traffic on the road and headaches when it comes to getting parking.
“This is groundbreaking,” HKNA Treasurer Alexis Baum added. “We're giving everyone a new way to get to work, go shopping, Grand Central District and beyond and get out into the community. Less traffic and more time together.”
This pilot program and partnership between a neighborhood association and a public transit authority is a first in Florida. If popular, they hope to expand the offering to other neighborhood organizations across their service area across the Tampa Bay area.
“What we’re announcing today can absolutely become a model for other neighborhoods in our community and across the United States,” Floyd added.
The service officially begins on Sunday. Members of the neighborhood association can pick up their UPASS that day at Gateway Subs. HKNA says they've added 50 new members since announcing the partnership.