$3.8 Million Transit Grant Will Help Revitalize Downtown Kalamazoo

The historic Kalamazoo Train Station will be the centerpiece of a new downtown Intermodal Transportation Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, thanks to a grant totaling $3.8 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced today. The historic train station was built in 1887.

“Preserving history is a vital component of this project, and many residents of this city will enjoy the historic features of the station each time they board a bus,” said Secretary Mineta. “President Bush understands that transit plays a key role in growing the economy and revitalizing our communities. This intermodal transit center in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo exemplifies that commitment.”

In the first phase of the project, Kalamazoo Metro Transit will use the $3,765,290 grant to buy land next to the station and build a transfer center extending from the train station onto the new land.  The new Intermodal Transportation Center will accommodate Metro Transit and inter-city buses.  Four new buses also will be purchased with the grant money.

The second phase of the project will involve rehabilitating and preserving the train station.  The new facility will provide improved passenger amenities, more visible security and electronically displayed real time information for arriving buses.  The anticipated completion date for the project is spring 2006.  Approximately 3,000 riders a day are expected use the Intermodal Transportation Center.

“This funding is a big win for the folks of Kalamazoo,” said Congressman Fred Upton (MI-6th).  “The construction of the Downtown Transfer Center, which has long been a priority of mine in Congress, will create a centralized public transportation hub and new economic development opportunities for the immediate downtown area, all the while alleviating traffic congestion and improving air quality. Upon completion, the 3,000 folks expected to pass through the facility each day will have a much improved travel experience with seamless transition between routes and access to nationwide train and intercity bus service providers.”

A $72,815 grant was also awarded to the Kalamazoo County Human Services’ Care-A-Van program to purchase a replacement bus and a new communications system.