PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The Pinellas County board of commissioners approved an agreement with the City of St. Petersburg regarding the Inter-City Cross Bay Ferry Service Tuesday.
The agreement, approved in a 5 to 1 vote, provides St. Pete with funding for the next three years of ferry operation. The county will have to pay a one-time sum of $129,500 to cover the county's share.
The Cross Bay Ferry provides a transit connection for residents and tourists to go between Tampa and St. Pete without using the roadways. It's operated by HMS Ferries Inc. from October to May. In its 2021-2022 season, it exceeded a total ridership of 62,000 passengers.
Ferry operating costs were split evenly between Hillsborough and Pinellas counties under a 2021 contract. However, Pinellas opted out of the contract's remaining three years in May.
Ridership data based on passenger zip codes from HMS ferries showed ridership from Pinellas only made up about 5% of total users.
In June, an agreement was proposed where the ferry would continue to operate but with Pinellas County paying a lower subsidy. In the proposed agreement, Pinellas' share would shrink to 5 percent while the other three local governments — Hillsborough County, Tampa, and St. Pete — would have a share of 25 percent each.
A $518,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation, allocated over three years, would provide the other 20 percent.
The 2022-2023 season would begin on Oct. 1.
Hillsborough County, which now serves as the lead agency to manage operations with HMS Ferries must notify HMS if it plans to continue service by July 1.
If service is discontinued for any reason, Pinellas County will be reimbursed a set amount according to the new agreement.
Now that the county has approved the signed Interlocal Agreement, it will be presented to St. Pete City Council for approval on Aug. 4.