ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The latest way to ease traffic congestion in downtown St. Augustine hit the road Tuesday.
It’s basically a free bus called a circulator, which helps tourists and locals alike navigate the city. It's called the St. Augustine Rider or STAR.
"I love that new bus smell," Don Slawik smiled.
He and Cheryl Slawick were on the inaugural ride.
"You can get off, walk around, get back on, and go someplace else without having to walk that entire way," Cheryl Slawick said.
The STAR bus has a route that circles downtown St. Augustine…
"This route is a little over a mile," Rueben Franklin said. He's the assistant city manager for the City of St. Augustine.
There are three stops for this bus. One at the Visitor Information Center at the parking garage. The second is along the bay front, and the third is near the Cathedral by the Government House.
And the best part? iit’s free.
"We have the trolleys and horse carriages, but those things have an expense. This STAR bus is free to the public," City Commissioner Cynthia Garris said. "It will help people get from the parking garage to the core of the city."
Franklin noted, "The goal of the circulator is to help people park one time in the City of St. Augustine and move around town."
The idea is to have fewer cars on downtown city streets.
Franklin said this is the first route, and if it’s successful, St. Augustine city leaders hope to add routes to connect to St. Augustine Beach and to West Augustine.
The Florida Department of Transportation put $500,000 to roll out the project, and it has committed a million dollars a year for five years, Franklin explained.
It's available for tourists and locals.
"This is really for the general public, businesses, and residents to utilize the service without paying for a tour ticket to use the trolleys," Franklin added.