Do you know the sense of security when someone pulls away a junk stacked on the curb? That’s how Hillsboro County should feel about offloading ferry boats to Pinellas. The move will remove headaches from Hillsboro and help Pinellas develop waterborne transport and improve relationships between the counties. As someone in Tampa, I couldn’t hand it over immediately.
Transportation in Pinellas County is considering expanding Crossbay ferries. Running year-round between Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg, the service is currently run by a private Boston-based company. However, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is exploring a new setup. Buy your own boats, operate your services locally, expanding your time and business hours. The idea is to turn your entertainment cruise into a real transit option. Local controls allow Pinellas to manage ferries more efficiently and integrate with the bus system.
That’s a great idea. So why is Hillsboro in the way?
In 2021, the federal government awarded Hillsboro nearly $5 million to buy a ferry boat. The grant was intended to buy vessels that supporters hoped to bring a new era to commuter ferry services to the Bay Area. However, the plan passed away in 2023 and Hillsboro has no intention of moving forward with the project. When the grant expires in 2027, Pinellas hopes to transfer the money across the bay. However, Hillsboro transport blocked this month’s move. It was a small micromanagement from an agency that could use the micromanagement itself.
I share some legitimate concerns about what Pinellas is doing. But that’s a Pinellas problem. If an official in Hillsboro wants to operate Pinellas’ transport, you will be taken to Pinellas. The only question here is whether to transfer grants that Hillsboro is not planning to use. It doesn’t cost one dime in Hillsboro. They don’t even commit Pinera to running the ferry. The request here is simply to ensure Hillsboro is out of the way. Doing so will help everyone by ending the stupidity of Hillsboro ferries on the best possible grounds and placing Pinera to succeed.
This project was not suitable for Hillsboro. Even if the ridership numbers weren’t impressive, ferry costs continued to skyrocket. Worst of all, the ferries were a huge distraction at the worst possible time, just as Hillsboro had created a plan that meant to be used by people in mass transport. The ferry hijacked the process and gave traffic opponents the white elephants they needed to sour public opinion. Has Hillsboro focused on ferries that were asked by wise people, not buses or railroads? It was like dealing with global hunger with an air-riffing vignette. Certainly, calories are calories. But why can’t you start with the basics?
Lewis Viera, who chairs the Hillsboro Transportation Committee, has it right. By passing the grant to Pinellas, Hillsboro can “sell and save” the ferry project with victory in both counties. Hillsboro will contribute by handing over unnecessary grants and keeping money in Tampa Bay. Pinellas get a boat. Boats could potentially lower more state and federal dollars for ferry services. The funds are spent as intended, so Tampa Rep. Cathy Caster, who helped secure the grant, doesn’t need to make excuses in Washington. And those who are excited about this project can finally get started.
Counties in this area are good at throwing bombs. This is an opportunity to take part in a modest and intriguing effort that can add another slice of life to Tampa Bay. Hillsboro should jump at the opportunity to transfer grants. Let someone pilot the boat.
