DTA Multimodal Transportation Center Gets Needed Funding
DULUTH - In an joint announcement made today by the City of Duluth and the DTA, it was revealed that the proposed DTA Multimodal Transportation Center has received all funding required to complete the $27.5 million project.
The project received an initial $16 million from an appropriation by former Congressman James Oberstar in 2010. The DTA had requested six million dollars in state funding as part of this year's capital bonding bill from the State Legislature, with the additional funding needed to complete work on skywalk connections and the reconstruction of the Northwest Passage.
The state funding was in addition to $5.5 million in local and private investment funding previously secured for the project.
The recentlypassed Bonding bill does contain $6.4 million allocated to Greater Minnesota Transit, of which $4.5 has been identified for funding of the DTA project, with the balance allocated to projects in Mankato and St. Cloud. The remaining $1.5 million will be funded through other State sources.
Now that the project funding is secured, the DTA expects to begin with the demolition of the Wells Fargo parking ramp below Michigan Street later this year.
Actual building construction would begin in the spring of 2013 with completion of the new transportation center projected by late 2013 or early 2014.
The downtown Multimodal Transportation Center will provide an indoor terminal area for the transferring of bus passengers, including regional and intercity carriers.
The Center will include an 8-bay bus boarding platform, along with an indoor passenger-waiting area, seating and public restrooms.
The Center will include a DTA-staffed information desk, similar to what is currently at the Transit Center East for pass and ticket sales and transit information.
The Center will also include a bike storage area, a police substation, and public and private parking that will include spaces for van and car pools.
The Intermodal Center will also serve as a boarding location for Jefferson Lines and Indian Trails inter-city bus lines, along with Arrowhead Transit and LCS Coaches.
Also included in the Center will be Wells Fargo drive through banking services on the second level and other retail spaces.
