ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A bus transit plan is dividing two Pinellas County cities.

The plan would allow Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority buses to take riders from downtown St. Petersburg to St. Pete Beach in about 35 minutes for less than $5.

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman says it will benefit the beach and will likely happen with or without them being on board. 

But St. Pete Beach Mayor Alan Johnson wants to continue talks because he believes the plan would hurt his city more then it would help. 

"Running a bus system up and down a beach town doesn’t make a whole lot of sense," said Johnson. "Get the bus to get them there and then once they get there, bicycles, trollies we got electric carts we’re going after."

The new bus route is expected to be available by the end of the year or early 2021.

It will cost an estimated $43.9 million to complete.