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$17.2 million facility for downtown bus transfers to open in January 2009. Space to have art exhibits
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Oct 23, 2007
One of the spots where huge piles of snow from Akron streets were dumped in past winters is being transformed into Akron's mass-transit hub.
When Akron's new Intermodal Transportation Center opens in January 2009, it will be where all Metro Regional Transit bus transfers are made.
The authority broke ground for the $17.2 million glass and steel facility on 8.4 acres of property at South Broadway and East Bartges Street on Monday morning. About $12.4 million of the cost is from federal funds, and the Ohio Department of Transportation is providing $2 million, which is also federal money. The city of Akron contributed the land, appraised at about $2.3 million, for the center. The remaining funding comes from local sources.
About 2,500 people either transfer from one bus to another or travel to downtown each day, Metro said.
The new 14,000-square-foot facility will shift bus transfers from South Main Street in downtown Akron to the new location. It will have a waiting room that can hold 300 people.
There could be route changes to the majority of the bus system's routes because of the new center, said Molly K. Becker, director of communications and marketing.
She said Metro will begin notifying the public about the changes in routes starting in November.
Metro will conduct public meetings and hearings regarding route changes, she said.
The Greyhound bus facility will be moved from Grant Street to the new facility, said Robert Pfaff, executive director of Met ro.
And the center's location near CSX railroad tracks was chosen because of the proximity to the rail line.
''We are looking forward someday to have passenger rail in this community so we can serve the area in a better fashion,'' Pfaff said. ''We don't know when that will occur. We are prepared for it.''
Akron's GPD Group, assisted by Parsons Brinckerhoff, designed the facility.
Summit Construction of Akron has been awarded management of the project, with site preparation done by Cavanaugh Building Corporation.
The new facility also will have public restrooms, a small retail area, vending machines and a taxi stand.
Another future tenant of the facility could be the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Metro said.
Officials also said bike racks already installed on all Metro buses will allow passengers to transport bicycles to the new center and then ride their bikes to nearby trails.
Also, in partnership with the Akron Art Museum, the center will have public exhibition space, display cases and mounting systems that will allow local artists and groups to present art exhibits and showings.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic; Ohio's two U.S. senators, Republican George Voinovich and Democrat Sherrod Brown; U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, and Betty Sutton, D-Copley Township; state Rep. Stephen Dyer, D-Green; and other state officials.
Sutton spoke of the importance of mass transit in society today.
''These are the wheels to opportunity, to freedom,'' she said.
Metro's Pfaff said the bus system serves 20,000 riders a day and its buses cover 12,000 miles per day.
''When we move into this center, everyone will have a place to move in and transfer between buses where they won't have to dodge cars as we do currently on Main Street,'' he said. ''It will be a safe environment protected from the elements that we all know so well in northern Ohio.''
The beginning of construction of the facility, he said, ''is a great day for us at Metro and a great day for the community.''
Snow removed from Akron streets this coming winter will be taken to other city-owned property because of the construction at Bartges and South Broadway, said Richard Merolla, Akron's director of public service.
For more on Metro go to http://www.akronmetro.org.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
One of the spots where huge piles of snow from Akron streets were dumped in past winters is being transformed into Akron's mass-transit hub.
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