On Wednesday, consultants to the Pinellas County Transit Authority Board of Directors presented two hugely different consequences for the future of bus service in the county, all based on the will of the voters next year.
The board faced the difference between commuters getting around the county easily, and one where riders have longer waits, less service and more headaches.
In 2014, the PSTA will ask voters to decide on a one percent sales tax, to approve the recommendations of Greenlight Pinellas, the education group created to study how mass transit in the county will continue. Some of the options include developing an interconnected transit system with Hillsborough County, an expanded and efficient bus service, as well as light rail.
If voters approve the sales tax, the additional revenue will allow the PSTA to expand bus service by 65 percent. This includes improved wait times, by having riders wait for a bus for no more than 15 minutes. Weekend service and coverage will also expand significantly. When buses run frequently, ridership increases through “spontaneous use.”
In that scenario, taking a bus will become a convenient choice for more commuters.
With the additional revenues, dedicated express bus lanes — or Bus Rapid Transit/Rapid Corridors—will go up throughout Pinellas County, providing fast, direct bus service. North Pinellas County will also receive specific bus service, with a FLEX Connector to meet other community transport, such as trolleys and Park and Rides.
If voters do not pass the sales tax increase in 2014, and no new revenue is available, Greenlight Pinellas recommended cutting services by at least 28 percent in 2017.
Without the extra funds, the board would be left with some hard decisions, according to Greenlight Pinellas. Higher bus frequency would need prioritization, and limited to densely traveled routes. The PSTA could end as many as 10 routes, with Saturday and Sunday service significantly reduced.
Reduction in service levels will lead to serious tradeoffs regarding coverage, frequency, span, and weekend service. They warned that the system would still need to restructuring, but at a substantial sacrifice in service.
In addition to contemplating the two radically different future scenarios, the PSTA board also had to put off a decision on a new transit center for 70 Avenue in Pinellas Park. All construction bids came in over budget, forcing the board to postpone the project.
