TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board members voted Monday to move forward with the plan for a new cross-bay ferry system, this time with double the ferry power connecting Tampa and St. Petersburg.

The approval by HART means that grant money is one step closer to being paid out.

Last week, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority board members unanimously approved the process of a new ferry service by agreeing to accept a nearly $5 million grant from Hillsborough County toward the purchase of up to two ferries.

PSTA officials were at Monday’s meeting lobbying for the motion to pass.

“Because we’re excited. This is a part of multi-mobile transportation that we’ve looked forward to, and we always want ourselves to be a trend setter and continue to develop regional transportation in the Tampa Bay area,” PSTA board chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders said.

PSTA officials anticipate the ferries will be popular, especially during games and concerts.

“We have lots of events and lots of traffic going to those events. This is just another option that people might be able to take advantage of,” PSTA CEO Brad Miller said.

The grant is from the government and would’ve been allocated elsewhere by the Federal Transit Administration.

Community leaders were also at the meeting, showing support for the ferries to come back.

“This move ensures that funding stays local and supports a new service that will connect people, jobs and opportunities across the Bay area,” Casey Bauer with Tampa Downtown Partnership said.

Next, the FTA will need to make the final approval on the transfer of the funds.