State representatives, county commissioners and a cadre of local elected officials gathered at the PSTA transfer facility in Pinellas Park Dec. 2 to celebrate a milestone in Pinellas County's transportation history: The ceremonial groundbreaking for a new Pinellas Park Transit Center.
The center will be the first of its kind in central Pinellas and will feature a Customer Service window for information and ticket sales, along with fully equipped and maintained restrooms for the hundreds of riders who pass through the facility every day. "It is critically important that we have facilities like this available," said State Representative and former PSTA Board Member Kathleen Peters. "Ridership is up and we have to make sure that the infrastructure that we put together is sound on every level."
Officials lauded the new facility and its importance to riders, potential riders and the future of transit in our community. "If voters choose to support the Greenlight Pinellas Plan next year, this transit system will finally be able to support a second shift working force, which is very important to enhancing our economy and making us more attractive to employers," says Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni. The Greenlight Pinellas Plan features significantly improved, countywide bus service along with plans for a future light rail system.
CHTR Development LLC, will be building the new Pinellas Park Transit Center after winning the contract with a low bid of $359,000. If all goes as expected, the new facility will be up and running within six months.