ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will be holding its public budget meeting, where the future of both the Cross Bay Ferry and the Clearwater Ferry will be discussed.

Both are highly anticipated topics following the deadly Clearwater ferry crash and the interest in connecting another form of transportation between Pinellas and Tampa.

Residents that we spoke with say they’re ready for the return of the ferries.

“I’m very excited, I’ll be riding it a lot. Because I wanna take it, I don’t wanna sit in traffic. I don’t wanna drive on that bridge (Howard Frankland Bridge) ever,” resident Ryan Sabia said.

The $4.8 million grant PSTA received from HART earlier this year enables PSTA to purchase two ferries, helping drive down costs.

“The fact that PSTA will own the boat is the key to how we’re able to keep prices down and then pass on that to our partners in St Pete and Tampa and also to our riders,” said PSTA chief planning officer Darden Rice.

They intend to offer year-round service. New stops, like in Dunedin, are also up for discussion.

“We clearly heard from the people in Tampa Bay that they wanted more, and they deserve more,” Rice said.

Rider and taxpayers in Tampa and St. Pete will help cover operating costs. We’re told the goal is to have the ferries up and running by this time next year.

The budget meeting begins tonight at 6 p.m. at PSTA’s headquarters at 3201 Scherer Drive in St. Petersburg. The meeting is open to the public.