Labor Day Is Last Holiday Pinellas Beach Goers Battle For Parking

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — As families flock to Pinellas County’s beaches this Labor Day weekend, the weather forecast looks good, but the traffic forecast looks bleak.

Tens of thousands of people will jam the roads and fight to find a parking spot. But this will be the last holiday weekend that beach goers are forced to battle for a precious parking space.

Next month, the SunRunner will launch, allowing residents to get to the beach without having to hunt for parking.

The SunRunner is the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority's new Bus Rapid Transit service, the first of its kind in Tampa Bay. Since it uses its own dedicated lane, the Sunrunner provides quick access to the Pinellas beaches without being held up by holiday beach traffic, shortening a 55-minute trip to 35 minutes.

“The Tampa Bay area has added more than 400,000 people in just the past 10 years, and when you’re trying to find a parking space, it seems like all 400,000 of those people are heading to the beach just like you,” said Brad Miller, CEO of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.

See related stories:

• Tampa Bay's 1st Rapid Transit System, SunRunner, To Debut Oct. 21
• Sunrunner Bus Rapid Transit System Receives More Federal Funding
• First Completed SunRunner Station Unveiled In Downtown St. Pete
• Construction Begins For St. Pete's Historic Rapid Transit Line

“When the SunRunner opens next month, it’ll connect the beach and the ‘Burg, so you can park anywhere along the route between downtown St. Petersburg and the Gulf, and we’ll do the driving. Hop off at the TradeWinds Resort or at a park along the water in St. Pete Beach. Then a bus will be by every 15 minutes when it’s time to head home," Miller said.

For the first six months after the SunRunner opens on Oct. 21, all rides will be free. After that—on Memorial Day or July 4 weekends, for example—the price is the same as PSTA’s normal fares.

Currently, a one-day group pass for up to five people is $10, and kids 8 and younger ride free. Miller said it's a bargain when compared to the $20 or more for beach parking, plus the cost of gas.

The SunRunner is Tampa Bay's first Bus Rapid Transit project offering a high-tech, fast transportation service.

Riding in its own lane, the SunRunner will bypass traffic to get residents to their destinations more quickly and efficiently than driving on their own.

Passengers will have access to free Wi-Fi, charging ports at every seat, interior bike storage and raised platforms at the stations that allow strollers and wheelchairs smoother, faster access.

The Sunrunner's hybrid buses are quieter, produce fewer emissions, and consume less fuel than traditional diesel buses.

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