Can Light Rail, Quick Buses Help Pinellas County?

County leaders hope public transportation can change the future of Pinellas County.

They envision an initial 24 miles of light rail that connects riders between Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa.

They've got plans to make the bus routes more direct, of dumping the old hub system and replacing it with a grid-like network connecting the county's most well-traveled destinations. Public transportation officials say it would result in faster and more reliable travel times so riders won't have to wait more than 15-30 minutes between pick-ups, a vast improvement from the present 60-minute average. 

Leaders believe creating a better public transportation system would set the foundation for luring high-tech companies to the area.

The transportation improvements could attract thousands of jobs and ensure Pinellas County's long-term economic viability, leaders say.

But before they ask residents to help pay for it (in the form of a proposed 1 percent surtax that must be voted in place before it's enacted), officials from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority are soliciting feedback, involvement and conversations from business leaders, civic groups and local government officials in a massive, summer outreach initiative called "Greenlight Pinellas." They'll continue their efforts through the summer and bring findings back to county leaders in the fall.

As part of their outreach, PSTA officials are presenting their vision for Pinellas County's transportation future to local business leaders from the Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs Chambers of Commerce during a June 14 luncheon. 

The luncheon presentation is at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 33983 U.S. Highway 19 N, Palm Harbor, and costs $18 for a meal reservation. 

Reservations must be made through the individual business leader's Chamber of Commerce no later than noon Tuesday, June 11. Interested business leaders should call Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce at (727) 784-4287.

More information about the proposed 1-percent tax and transportation vision can be found at the Greenlight Pinellas wesbite. 

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