ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg City Council members will get an update today on the ongoing SunRunner project, a fast bus service from the downtown area to St. Pete Beach.

The project has been years in the making, with the final phase of construction projects ongoing this summer.

“For the first six months of the launch we will be running the service for free just so our riders can get a sense of the SunRunner, this unique service and how efficient and cost effective this is going to be,” said Abhishek Dayal, Director of PSTA’s Project Management Office.

Service for SunRunner is expected to launch in September, with hours running from 6 a.m. until midnight daily.

SunRunner will use specialized bus lanes, making the trip from downtown to the beach much quicker.  

In addition, special traffic light technology has been installed which give priority to SunRunner buses.

SunRunner will launch in September, with hours running from 6 a.m. until midnight daily. (PSTA)

Once the first 6-month introductory service concludes, fares will cost $2.25 for a one-way trip, or $5 for a round-trip.

PSTA expects high ridership on SunRunner thanks to increasing fuel prices, and the priority service which avoids the usual traffic problems.

“We do expect this service going to be the first of its kind in the Tampa Bay region with dedicated bus lanes and signal priority, and it’s going to be a unique and comfortable service for our riders,” Dayal said.

For more information on PSTA’s SunRunner, visit their website here.