PSTA to eliminate Williams Park hub

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) plans to reroute a longstanding problem early next year. 

For decades, downtown St. Petersburg's Williams Park has also served as a hub for riders transferring from one bus route to another.  That provided an excuse for the homeless and drug dealers to linger in the park. 

Starting in February, the PSTA wants to eliminate the bus hub by shifting those routes onto St. Pete's street grid. 

"We're seeing a growing amount of our ridership that has a destination, a job or shopping, in downtown St. Petersburg," the PSTA's Brad Miller told FOX 13 News.  "Right now they're having to get off in Williams Park and then walk to their destination, and under this plan they can make connections and get much closer to their destination."

The reroute is still subject to public input and possible tweaking, but Miller predicted bus shelters will be removed from Williams Park in early February.