On Wednesday, Hillsborough County leaders voted 5-2 to have a motion hearing to terminate an agreement for a ferry project that would have connected South Hillsborough County to MacDill Airforce Base.
Commissioners voted to hold a motion hearing on August 2 to terminate the agreement.
It's a project that has been in the works for a few years now. In 2021 a report estimated the project's total capital cost would be about $51 million, but a new 2023 estimated cost was more than $75 million.
Unlike the Cross Bay Ferry, which runs from Tampa to St. Pete, this ferry would have run from South Hillsborough County to MacDill. It would have provided a direct route for people who need to go to and from the air force base. Officials say the ferry will reduce traffic congestion on our already busy roads.
In addition to the costs, commissioners had questions about protecting wildlife. The ferry route would have gone through waters where manatees are.
