New $23 million transit center coming to Ypsilanti in 2028
A lead designer from the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, also known as TheRide, says plans for a new transit center in Ypsilanti are moving forward.
This comes as officials say the number of riders and routes has outgrown the current space built in the early 90s.
The new terminal will be built on the same footprint as the current one, and it will be roughly three times the size, as TheRide says it plans on expanding services even further once it has enough space. It will also cater to more modes of travel than just by bus.
The public area of the new building is enough to match the square footage of the current one, and it will come with updated technology to get passengers on their way.
"We're hoping we can do a lot more with real-time information and digital signs. That will give us a lot more flexibility, and also, internal to the waiting area, have a lot more screens," said TheRide senior project manager Gretchen Johnson.
An additional bus lane will add nearly double the number of bus bays to accommodate the number of riders using buses today and for years to come.
"Right now, we have no spots available for any more service. We're going to have a new diagonal aisle through the parking lot. It's going to be a huge benefit for us in terms of just being able to have much smoother operations overall," Johnson said.
The layout will make going from bus, to bike, rideshare, or other services offered by TheRide much more manageable to according to Johnson.
"Bike parking on the platform, and there's a few areas right now but nothing that's super dedicated to that, so that's one of the big things. We'll have designated spots for pick-up and drop-off and those other services," she says.
TheRide will be paying for the new facility, and they estimate it will cost roughly $23 million.
If everything stays on track, the new transit center will be completed by 2028, with construction expected to start in 2026. We're also anticipating some more detailed renderings of the future transit center to be released by this fall or winter.
