St. Pete City Council’s votes come two weeks after the PSTA board voted to increase fares on the popular SunRunner bus rapid transit system a month early. Credit: Photo via ridepsta/Facebook

Last week, the St. Petersburg City Council voted unanimously to amend its interlocal agreement with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). The amendments allocate remaining funds from the original SunRunner project towards a new bus station near the pier, install public art at three stations, and fiber optic cables.

The changes come two weeks after the PSTA board voted to increase fares on the popular SunRunner bus rapid transit system a month early.

In its decision last month, PSTA’s board cited complaints from St. Pete Beach leaders and residents that homeless folks were using the free fare bus to come to the beach and “accost” residents and tourists.

St. Pete subsidized free fares as part of SunRunner’s pilot program and contributed $4 million to the SunRunner. The project came in under budget, and there’s $1,125,287.50 left.

The new interlocal agreement uses up to $605,000 of the remaining funds for building a SunRunner stop closer to the pier (without a dedicated lane) on First Avenue N, between 1st and 2nd Streets. Fiber optic cables and public art panels in three stations are also being installed.

The city had even earmarked $200,000 for SunRunner fares in FY2024.

“In light of the recent [PSTA] decision, that part of our budget will be changing,” St. Petersburg city council member and PSTA board chair Gina Driscoll said at yesterday’s meeting. Driscoll was among the few PSTA board members who voted against increasing SunRunner fares early.

Last month, PSTA board member and County Commissioner Rene Flowers motioned to increase fares early. As part of her motion, Flowers asked PSTA, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, PSTA’s planning committee, Directions for Mental Health, the Homeless Leadership Alliance, and others to meet for a discussion on a “more thoughtful and precise solution.”

That meeting will take place on Sept. 13.

Speaking out against the PSTA’s decision, Dr. Monica Alesnick, CEO of the Homeless Leadership Alliance, went on WMNF’s “The Skinny” radio show last week.

“The folks speaking loudly about this issue seem to keep bringing the focus to our homeless population,” Alesnick said on the show. “If that’s true, let’s all work harder to fix this public health issue, not criminalizing homelessness.”

Last month, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named PSTA Outstanding Public Transit System in North America. Next month, Driscoll and PSTA’s CEO Brad Miller will accept one of only four awards given to transit authorities nationwide at APTA’s Orlando conference.

Miller’s emails last month, which CL obtained through public records, initially offered to implement a reduced fare for westbound stations beginning with the Grand Central bus hub, in order to curb homeless riders.

“This is public transportation and these are public funds,” Alesnick said last week. “Homelessness is not illegal.”

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