The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) broke ground on a new SunRunner station near St. Pete Pier in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Aug. 16. The new station will give residents and visitors closer access to the St. Pete Pier, Beach Drive, the Cross Bay Ferry and the array of restaurants, businesses and hotels along the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront.
“We are fulfilling our promise to the community by continuing to improve the SunRunner,” said PSTA CEO Brad Miller. “We’ve heard the requests from citizens, riders, staff and elected officials to connect this service to the beautiful waterfront district of St. Petersburg. Today we are starting the process of turning those requests into a reality.”
The new station—located near the Sundial parking garage at 150 1st Ave. North—will improve mobility and accessibility to jobs, healthcare education, and activity centers.
“The SunRunner has been a game-changer for our region, providing strong transportation options that benefit everyone,” said State Sen. Darryl Rouson (D). “PSTA’s dedication to connectivity is evident in their efforts to get new people to try transit and the positive impact it has on our community. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when we invest in our transit infrastructure.”
The SunRunner launched in October 2022, with the goals of attracting new riders to transit, making life better for residents, businesses and visitors and contributing to a safer, cleaner community. Within its first year, the SunRunner surpassed 1 million riders and remains one of PSTA’s top-performing fixed routes. It recently celebrated its highest ridership ever on June 22, 2024.
The transit line has limited stops and gets riders “from the beach to the ’Burg” (and vice-versa) in about 40 minutes. Riders do not have long waits thanks to frequent service every 15 minutes during peak times. The new downtown station, along with three new SunRunner buses, will keep the promised 15-minute frequency, according to the agency.
“It’s an incredible asset for our community,” said Gina Driscoll, PSTA Board chairperson and St. Pete city councilwoman. “The SunRunner is helping St. Petersburg become an even safer and cleaner community. The hybrid electric vehicles reduce the number of cars on the road and lower carbon emissions. Traffic crashes are also significantly down along the corridor since service began.”
The route serves more than 50,000 jobs and 40,000 residents within a half-mile radius.
“The new SunRunner station will greatly benefit the tourists who visit our area and stay at hotels like Hyatt Place,” said Stephen Nunez, general manager of Hyatt Place St. Petersburg Downtown. “The service makes life better for both residents and businesses by giving workers easy access to their jobs, enhancing our local economy and ensuring our city remains a top destination for visitors.”
“A huge thank you to the PSTA staff, our partners both public and private, the PSTA Board members and our federal and state elected officials who have embraced the vision of how quality mass transit can literally transform our community and improve our quality of life,” Miller said.
Crews completed the original SunRunner project $5 million under budget, allowing the remaining funds to be invested into the expansion. The new station is expected to be open by the end of 2024.
