The St. Petersburg City Council is set to vote Thursday on a series of agreements that would clear the way for the long-awaited Tampa Bay Ferry to launch, including a $324,000 deal for a temporary dock near The Vinoy.

The resolution includes a three-year agreement with Mobro Marine to install the temporary dock off Bayshore Drive in downtown St. Petersburg, across from Straub Park North. That’s the same location the Cross Bay Ferry previously used before it relocated to Port St. Pete, where ridership subsequently declined.

PSTA communications director Amanda Baird called the dock the final piece needed before the service can begin, saying the ferry route is expected to strengthen ties between St. Petersburg and Tampa. City Council Member Deborah Figgs-Sanders, who also chairs the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority board, said the location will make it easy for ferry riders to reach downtown St. Petersburg’s shops, restaurants and entertainment.

City officials say a permanent dock will eventually be built near the St. Pete Pier’s History Museum, but that project is expected to take two to three years. According to Evan Mory, the city’s Transportation and Parking Management Director, leasing the temporary dock is more cost-effective than buying one, given the permanent facility is still years away. The lease includes cancellation and renewal options favorable to the city.

On the Tampa side, the ferry will dock at the east end of the Tampa Convention Center. Under the interlocal agreement, both cities will provide dock space at no cost and will each contribute $350,000 toward ferry operating costs.

PSTA has already purchased two vessels for the service, currently being transported from the Pacific Coast to Fort Lauderdale for remodeling and repainting. The boats were bought using a $4.8 million federal grant originally transferred from the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

Baird noted the St. Petersburg dock site sits near several other transit options, including the SunRunner, Downtown Looper and Central Avenue Trolley.

The ferry is expected to run year-round, seven days a week, with more daily trips than the previous Cross Bay Ferry service offered. A full schedule has not been released, but the service is expected to launch before the end of the year, with one-way tickets priced at $10.

Council members will also vote again on two related items: a release agreement with The Vinoy allowing dock installation in the North Yacht Basin, permitted for up to 3,640 trips per year, and a five-year operating agreement with Tampa Bay Sea Taxi, the ferry’s operator and a subsidiary of Hubbard’s Marina.

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