St. Augustine mayor cuts the ribbon on new ‘STAR’ bus service for downtown
Those looking to get a break from the heat, or the St. Augustine traffic, can now hop on the new, free bus system downtown called the St. Augustine Rider, or “STAR” for short.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline was there to cut the ribbon on the new addition Friday morning, officially announcing the service after launching it a week ago.
“We feel like it will be a really great opportunity for people to come downtown, park, jump on the shuttle, go to their destination a little deeper into the city, to the north or the south or the east or the west,” said Mayor Sikes-Kline on Friday.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
In just a week, the mayor says the reception has already been overwhelming.
“[It’s been] really wonderful. It’s long overdue,” she said. “We’re really thrilled to be able to do it, and I think it’s a beginning. We hope that we’ll be able to build on this.”
Right now, the service has just three stops around downtown, but the hope is to add more lines as capacity is added to the bus station’s parking garage.
Read: 9-year-old girl shot in the throat in the Durkeeville area, Jacksonville police say
With how chaotic parking and traffic can get in Downtown St. Augustine during the holidays, Nights of Lights and other high-profile events, the mayor says the addition of more free, public transportation is expected to be a game-changer for the city.
“We’ll be able to take some cars off the street with people riding and also ease with some of that stress about finding a parking spot,” the mayor told Action News Jax with a smile.
More information about the service’s complete route can be found in a previous Action News Jax web article by clicking here.
Read: New, free bus service to officially launch at ‘first ride’ in downtown St. Augustine
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
