Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and the city of Clearwater, Fla., signed a land swap agreement Oct. 7 that will pave the way for the construction of the new Clearwater Multimodal Transit Center on a city-owned vacant lot at Court Street and Myrtle Avenue.
“This has been an ongoing, collaborative effort with the city of Clearwater for more than 10 years and I’m honored to have had a helping hand in making these plans a reality,” said Brad Miller, CEO of PSTA. “The new transit hub is a much-needed replacement for PSTA’s 40-year-old station at Park Street, which is functionally obsolete because it is unable to accommodate the current routes. Not only that, but the newer hybrid and all-electric buses cannot fit under the old, leaky roof. The center has been in need of upgrades for more than a decade.”
The new Clearwater Multimodal Transit Center, which will connect downtown riders to area beaches and beyond, includes 16 bus bays, bicycle and scooter storage, ride-sharing connections, ADA boarding requirements and a “green” design including solar panels and electric bus charging stations. It also provides flexibility for future passenger rail service.
“This is a momentous occasion,” added Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard. “This land swap agreement will play a vital role not just in the growth and success of Clearwater, but the entire region.”
PSTA was recently awarded $20 million in federal grants by the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of the Rebuilding America Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. The remainder of the project will be funded by contributions from the City of Clearwater, FDOT, Forward Pinellas and PSTA. Construction is set to begin next year.
