Infrastructure

Transportation

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge viewed from the Tampa Bay

Roads

The city is connected to Tampa by the east by causeways and bridges across Tampa Bay,^[207] and to Bradenton in the south by the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (Interstate 275),^[208] which traverses the mouth of the bay. It is also served by Interstates 175 and 375, which branch off I-275 into the southern and northern areas of downtown respectively.^[209][210] The Gandy Bridge, conceived by George Gandy and opened in 1924, was the first causeway to be built across Tampa Bay, connecting St. Petersburg and Tampa cities without a circuitous 43-mile (69 km) trip around the bay through Oldsmar.^[211]

Airports

Main article: List of airports in the Tampa Bay area

Nearby Tampa International Airport provides air transportation for most passengers.^[212] Smaller airlines, with destinations to smaller cities and towns, operate at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, with most tenants providing only seasonal services.^[213] Albert Whitted Airport provides general aviation services near the heart of downtown St. Petersburg.^[214][215]

Mass transit

Trolley serving Downtown

Mass transit in St. Petersburg is provided by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). A sightseeing trolley, called The Looper, also travels to key downtown destinations daily such as USFSP, Sundial, Vinoy Hotel, and the multiple museums around the city.^[216] The Looper costs only 50 cents to ride and provides free drop off points throughout the transit.^[217][218]

Railroads

CSX Transportation operates a former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad branch line which sees daily rail traffic from north Tampa though Safety Harbor, Clearwater, and Largo. As of March 2008, the portion that ran into downtown St. Petersburg and the adjacent western industrial areas was abandoned. There is a small rail yard to the northwest of downtown St. Petersburg at the new end of the rail line with several spur lines serving industries in the area.^[219]
The former Seaboard Air Line branch from the western coastal portion of the county was abandoned in the 1980s and converted to a popular recreational trail called the Pinellas Trail.^[220]
Notable former stations include the St. Petersburg ACL station, which became an Amtrak station from 1971 to 1983, St. Petersburg Seaboard Air Line Passenger Station, and the St. Petersburg Seaboard Coast Line station.^[219]

Port and marinas

Boats located at South Basin

One of the main sea transportation areas in St. Peterburg is the Port of St. Petersburg, which is located in downtown St. Petersburg.^[221] Boat marinas in downtown St. Petersburg are also available such as the Municipal Marina which located in the Southern and Central Yacht Basins,^[222] and Harborage Marina located in the Bayboro Harbor.^[223]

Utilities

The city of St. Petersburg's major electricity system is provided by Duke Energy, the city's major gas system is provided by TECO Energy in the industrial and commercial parts of the city, and the city's water services are provided by the city of St. Petersburg.^[224