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El Centro Public Works Terry Hagen, City Manager Ruben Duran, ICTC Executive Director Mark Baza, Mayor Ben Solomon, Councilmen Jason Jackson and Efrain Silva, ICTC Administrative Analyst Kathi Williams and Councilwoman Sedalia Sanders break ground for the El Centro Regional Bus Transfer Terminal on Tuesday. (CHELCEY ADAMI PHOTO / January 9, 2013) |
A $4.9 million project that will further connect the Valley and possibly enhance downtown El Centro started rolling Tuesday as the city’s Regional Bus Transfer Terminal broke ground.
The bus terminal is expected to be completed in a year and will include waiting areas, restrooms, a remote police substation, surveillance, bike racks, landscaping, an art wall and solar panels.
Alley improvements will also be made from Sixth to Seventh streets, and a four-way stop will be placed at the intersection of Seventh and State streets.
“This terminal is a central part of our transit system, connecting passengers from as far as Calexico to Niland and as far west from Ocotillo to Winterhaven,” ICTC Executive Director Mark Baza said. “About 2,000 passengers a day will be traveling through this terminal.”
The terminal will eventually replace the bus stop at 14th and State streets.
“We have a lot of people who don’t have access to transit and this will help them with that access,” El Centro City Manager Ruben Duran said.
While other locations were considered, downtown was ultimately decided on with the idea of boosting the rider’s experience as well as potentially boosting downtown business, he added. Now downtown businesses just have to decide how to target riders.
“We’re bringing the people, and now they have to decide on a business model,” Duran said.
Project designer and Psomas vice president Agustin Chang said the terminal will be very inviting, safe and will incorporate local artists’ work to enhance its community feel.
As the Imperial Valley Transit Blue and Green lines were being developed conceptually in 2003, El Centro and Imperial County Transit Commission began considering the need for a larger bus transfer area.
The city committed the land at Seventh and State streets and ICTC received two federal grants and committed regional funding in 2006 to build the bus terminal. The cost to build the bus terminal won’t affect El Centro’s general fund.
“It seems like we take a long time to get things done but once we do we do it very well,” El Centro Mayor Ben Solomon quipped.
“One bus can take 48 cars off the streets of El Centro,” he added.
Hazard Construction Co. will build the terminal while Griffin-Lyon Inc. will provide construction management services.
As part of a $3.6 million investment, 18 buses have also been added to the fleet in the past year including 10, 44-foot long buses and eight, 25-foot long buses, Baza said.
Staff Writer Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
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