S2 Ep1777: Car-Free Conversations with Domenico & Saumitra with Guest: Tara Hubbard | The Sunline & Tampa Bay Ferry

In this episode of Car-Free Conversations on Radio St. Pete, hosts Domenico and Saumitra sit down with Tara Hubbard — environmental advocate, founder of The Sunline initiative, and owner of Hubbard’s Ferry — to talk about reimagining mobility and public space in St. Pete.

Tara shares the vision behind The Sunline, a grassroots effort to activate and transform the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail into a greener, more accessible, and more vibrant community corridor. Born from hands-on environmental work like tree planting and trail cleanups, The Sunline aims to make the trail a true transportation spine — not just a recreational path — by improving neighborhood access, supporting local businesses, and creating space for public art and expanded green infrastructure.

Drawing inspiration from projects like Atlanta BeltLine and The Underline, Tara discusses how grassroots advocacy, smart zoning overlays, and community buy-in can unlock the full potential of St. Pete’s most valuable car-free asset.

The conversation then shifts to water transit as Tara shares exciting updates about the newly rebranded Tampa Bay Ferry, operated in partnership with Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). With plans for expanded, potentially year-round service between St. Pete and Tampa, the ferry represents a major step toward building a truly multimodal, car-free regional transportation network — using the waterways that already surround us.

From trail activation to ferry expansion, this episode explores how bold ideas, persistence, and local leadership can reshape how we move through our city — safely, sustainably, and without a car.

🔗 Learn More & Get Involved:
• The Sunline: https://thesunline.org
• Tampa Bay Ferry (via PSTA): https://psta.net

📣 Follow & Support:
#CarFreeConversations #SunlineStPete #TampaBayFerry #CarFreeLiving #DomenicoandSaumitra #ConnectPinellas