ADVOCACY
POTENTIAL ACTION ITEM IN PROGRESS: Bus and Turn Lanes Removed without Warning on S. Pasadena Avenue by Representative Linda Chaney (Oct 21, 2025)
The Facts Cited to Justify Removal: “Earlier this week, Linda Chaney announced that the portion of the SunRunner lanes on Pasadena Avenue are being removed, citing a study from FDOT that found the annual number of crashes had increased 50%, from 36 to 54, on Pasadena Avenue after the bus lanes were added.”…
The Facts Desputed: “PSTA spokesperson Stephanie Weaver pointed to numbers collected from a national database showing that there were fewer overall crashes, as well as fewer fatal and severe injury crashes, on Pasadena Avenue in 2023 and 2024 compared to 2017 and 2018, before the bus lanes were added.“ ….
The Potential Financial Impact to Constituents: “The SunRunner launched in 2022 under the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, which billed it as an efficient way to bypass traffic through St. Petersburg to St. Pete Beach. The buses come every 15 minutes. Traffic lights are timed to stay green for the teal-and-yellow buses if they’re running behind schedule.
But losing the dedicated lane on Pasadena Avenue could force Pinellas to return $22 million to the federal government.”
- Tampa Bay Times
Additional Disputes in Ridership over Chaney’s 2% Bus Ridership Figures: “PSTA’s data further differs in that roughly 15 to 16 percent of Pinellas County residents use public transportation as opposed to the 2% claimed by Chaney. That estimate comes from 155,499 unique rider accounts – excluding cash fares – divided by the county’s 2024 population of 965,870.” - Poliverse
Why it Matters: The abrupt decision by FDOT and Representative Linda Chaney to remove the federally funded Bus and Auxiliary Transit (BAT) lanes on Pasadena Avenue has a potentially far-reaching impact. This action is unprecedented because it was taken without public comment or the public disclosure of official data and analysis prior to Chaney's press conference, and raises concerns whether the decision occured as a part of a meaningful comprehensive analysis.
The decision also raises significant financial concerns, as the removal of the dedicated lane could force Pinellas County to return all or a portion of the $22 million used to fund the original project to the federal government. This money was specifically allocated for the creation of these BAT lanes as part of the larger SunRunner project. The full financial burden this will place on local taxpayers remains unclear
UPDATE: What we are doing: Connect Pinellas submitted a document request under Florida’s Sunshine Law, requesting all reports related to traffic and safety on S. Pasadena Avenue by the FDOT. We are still in the process of analyzing the new data we have received.
What you can do: Stay informed. Connect Pinellas will post updates as the data unfolds. If you would like to receive copies of any documentation we have to date, email: info@connectpinellas.org.
We urge you to reach out to your state representatives, county board commissioners, and attend and comment at public meetings to push for transparency on the process under which FDOT decided to remove the BAT lanes on S. Pasadena Ave, as well as the costs that will result to taxpayers from removing these lanes.
How to find your state representative: https://www.flhouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
How to find your County Commissioner: https://pinellas.gov/services/online-customer-service/
Attend Public Meetings and Comment with Your Opinions:
October 29, 2025 | 09:00 AM PSTA Executive Board Meeting: https://www.psta.net/about-psta/meetings/board-meetings-and-public-hearings/
Meeting also available on: Live Stream
*Public comments may require submission 24 hours before the meeting.
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