Central Avenue BRT project design contract awarded to H.W. Lochner

Crossing from the bay to the Gulf beaches may soon get easier for the many residents and visitors of South Pinellas. A contract for the long-awaited Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project, connecting the two major destinations of South Pinellas County, has been assigned.

A recent decision by the board of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority unanimously awarded H.W. Lochner, a national firm headquartered in Chicago, the Central Avenue Bus Rapid Transit engineering and design contract. Lochner will be charged with roadway and station design, surveys, assessments and outreach to community and other stakeholders. 

The contract will bring bus rapid transit (BRT) to the 11-mile stretch of one-way streets (1st Ave N and 1st Ave S) between the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront and St. Pete Beach.

Andrea Ostrodka, H.W. Lochner’s dedicated project manager for the Central Avenue BRT project said she’s excited to move forward with the project – the first of its kind in Pinellas County.

“The Central Avenue BRT project is going to be a marquee project for PSTA and Pinellas County as a whole,” said Ostrodka. “We’re looking forward to cultivating the seeds that can really bring this project and transportation as a whole to blossom in Pinellas.”

H.W. Lochner has previously worked on transit projects with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The firm was also behind the Lymmo BRT project in Orlando, an innovative “rail-like” service utilizing buses instead of light rail. 

“This is a really exciting opportunity for PSTA,” said Ostrodka. “They’re so forward thinking – it’s going to be a great thing for the region.”

Transit officials hope this BRT route will spur a network of BRT that connects destinations throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, such as Clearwater Beach, Tampa International Airport and others.

Tampa International Airport is one of few midsize airports not currently serviced by public transportation options. Regional planners and economic advocates have long decried transportation as a major limiting factor to Tampa Bay’s economic growth.

Construction on the project should begin in 2019 and reach completion between 2020 and 2021, opening the BRT lanes at that time.

The BRT service will likely compliment the current Central Avenue Trolley service, making fewer stops along the route. This streamlined service should cut transit time from East to West by a third. For full-time residents of Pinellas County, this will be a welcome addition to the lagging public transportation system.

The project will be primarily funded from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant. The cities of St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, along with the Florida Department of Transportation, will also invest in the project.

Total estimated cost is $41.36 million.

BRT utilizes a bus-only dedicated lane for quick and congestion-free public transportation. The proposed Central Avenue BRT route runs on the left side of First Avenue North and First Avenue South from downtown St. Petersburg to 20th Street. It will then run curbside from 20th to Pasadena Avenue and Gulf Boulevard.