Commissioner Murman mentioned in this Tampa Tribune article on the ferry:
POLITICS
Kriseman pushes ferry linking downtowns in Tampa, St. Pete
BY CHRISTOPHER O’DONNELL
Tribune staff
Published: October 15, 2015 | Updated: October 16, 2015 at 09:19 AM
A commuter ferry service may be still years away but weekend ferry rides across Tampa Bay could be running in as little as a year through a pilot program pushed by St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.
The city leader is working with ferry promoter Ed Turanchik on a plan to run a ferry service between the downtowns of Tampa and St. Petersburg through the winter months.
One or two vessels would be rented from ferry services in the northeast that close for the winter, Turanchik said. Temporary floating docks could also be rented for the project. The estimated cost is $1 million, with ticket sales offsetting some of it.
Kriseman this week pledged $350,000 toward the plan from the $6.5 million the city received as a settlement in the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Voters’ rejection of the Greenlight Pinellas referendum in 2014 highlighted the need for creative solutions to the region’s transportation challenges, he said.
“We need to start providing alternative means of transportation so we can get people out of their cars, reduce our carbon footprint and be more sustainable,” Kriseman said.
Turanchik, a Tampa attorney and former Hillsborough County commissioner, represents HMS Ferries, the firm pushing for a commuter service carrying servicemen and women and civilian employees between South Hillsborough and MacDill Air Force base.
That project is on hold pending an environmental study to find a terminal site in Apollo Beach. The study may not be concluded until July, Turanchik said.
The winter ferry program would be aimed at tourists, snowbirds and residents who want a day out across the bay. The crossing would take about 50 minutes. Tentative sites for the temporary docks are the Tampa Convention Center and the Vinoy Basin in St. Petersburg.
Ferries would also run some evenings for special events like Tampa Bay Lightning games and the 2017 NCAA National Championship game at Raymond James Stadium, Turanchik said.
On a more practical level, it would give a genuine read on the level of demand for a weekend recreational hops between the two cities, which is also part of the proposed permanent ferry service. “My personal belief is if this gets set up, it’s going to accelerate the other project,” Turanchik said. “It’s an extraordinary way of traveling; you get to have a cup of coffee and enjoy gorgeous sunsets.”
A high-speed ferry service was one of Kriseman’s campaign pledges and he has supported the commuter ferry plan.
“It was amazing to me that coastal communities like St. Petersburg or Tampa don’t have any ferry system in place and don’t have water-taxis of any significance in place,” he said.
His plan to use the BP money must still be approved by St. Petersburg City Council members, some of whom want more of the money spent on sewer improvements.
Other hurdles may include finding political support on the Hillsborough side of the bay.
Turanchik said Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman supports the project. But Tampa officials said Thursday they have heard little about the proposal and are focused on transportation initiatives including Go Hillsborough and the expansion of the TECO Line Streetcar System, seen as important to the success of Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s $2 billion redevelopment of the area around the Amalie Arena.
“This is just one of several transportation initiatives,” said Bob McDonaugh, Tampa Economic Development Administrator.
Kriseman plans to pitch the idea to Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn at a meeting next week.
He said he has no qualms about working with Turanchik, whose failed attempts to bring the 2012 Olympics and commuter rail to Tampa have led some to dub him a dreamer.
“I think if you’re not dreaming and shooting for the stars, you’ll certainly never reach them,” Kriseman said. “You’ve got to try new things and see if you can put it together.”
