PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Tired of the bumper-to-bumper traffic and congestion while trying to cross Tampa Bay on one of three bridges? There may soon be an option to ditch the car and hop on a boat instead.
Forward Pinellas and area transportation leaders are discussing a possible expansion of the Bay Area ferry services.
On Wednesday afternoon, board members will look at starting an in-depth research study to see how a commuter ferry would work for people in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties.
The goal, according to the May 8 Forward Pinellas agenda, is to cut down on traffic around the immediate Tampa Bay Area. The presentation also states that having expanded transportation options could also help fill more open job positions.
This would mean a major expansion of ferry services that already exist such as Cross Bay and Gulf Side.
Right now, ferries in St. Pete, Tampa and Clearwater are mainly used for recreation. This means travel times are slow and current stops wouldn't make sense for those trying to get to and from work each day. At the moment, the local ferries also aren't able to carry many people; Cross Bay has limited space for up to 150 passengers.
If given the green light, researchers plan to compare the Bay Area's needs with other major cities like Miami or Seattle.
The research will take about five months and will include surveys for the public. Once those are available, 10 Tampa Bay will share those so viewers can weigh in.
Expanded ferry services could be offered as soon as fall of 2025.