TAMPA, Fla. — The latest plan for the Cross Bay Ferry has been approved by Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties and the City of St. Petersburg.
- Tampa to vote on Cross Bay Ferry resolution
- Hillsborough, Pinellas, & St. Pete already approved service
- MORE Cross Bay Ferry news
The last approval needed is from the Tampa City Council, who will vote on the resolution Thursday.
The latest agreement would set up another season of ferry service between Tampa and St. Petersburg. It would run from November 1 to April 30 for the next two years.
On August 1, Hillsborough County commissioners heard a proposal by HMS Ferries, which operates the Cross Bay Ferry, and South Swell Development to launch a fulltime public/private south county ferry service by 2022.
That plan would blend the MacDill Air Force Base commuter service with the existing Tampa/St. Pete route.
Commissioners are expected to take a vote on the fulltime plan in September. They would need to reapprove the project and the funding.
According to HMS Ferries, the private companies would cover the operating, maintenance, and repair costs over a 20-year period.
The county and other agencies would pick up the tab for capital costs like ferries, terminals, and docks.