PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A new bus route between Tampa and St. Pete could make a big difference for not only visitors to our area, but also for local business owners.
"We love to have all of our travelers and locals stop by, but it can be really hard for them to find a parking spot," said Tara Gibson, who owns Gibson's on Central in Downtown St. Pete.
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Gibson said sometimes the lack of parking spaces downtown can impact her business.
"We have clients that are like ‘ugh, we drove by and we couldn’t stop, but we will come back later’ but that doesn’t always happen," she said.
But she said a new Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority bus route could help.
"I think it’s something that has been missing, having that direct link to the airport. I think it’s great for residents as well as tourists…it’ll just make it easier for everybody," said Joe Zawaski who owns Ekeko Gallery in Downtown St. Pete.
"It's such a great idea, I think it's going to be a wonderful addition to our community," said Gibson.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will soon be offering a new bus route that will connect Downtown St. Pete to the Tampa International Airport. It will feature nine stops in the downtown area and will take the Howard Frankland Bridge every day.
"We need each other and to have something so easily brought across the bay, and say 'hey, pop over to St. Pete, don't wait for a car, just go have lunch, see a part of town that you wouldn’t have naturally seen' is super fun," said Gibson.
Zawaski said his business has also been affected by the parking issue.
"Parking downtown is always a challenge, it’s a popular place," he said.
He hopes the new route changes things.
"Hopefully we will see an increase in business, bring people downtown," said Zawaski.
The new route is scheduled to begin this October.
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