GTA proposes Moses Lake transit center

MOSES LAKE - Grant Transit Authority is hoping to begin construction on their new intermodal transit center in downtown Moses Lake by next summer.

The agency recently unveiled plans for the proposed facility, which will serve as a main transfer and connecting hub for public transit routes and other modes of transportation.

The transit center will be located on a parcel of land on Fifth Avenue, between Division and Ash streets. Some of the key features include a 37-stall 'park and ride' lot, a separate waiting area for taxis, bike racks, a bus loading zone and several bus shelters and benches in addition to a building that will house restrooms, a passenger waiting area and a ticket sales office, among other amenities.

GTA general manager Greg Wright said transit centers are commonplace in other cities and the agency thought it was time one were built in Moses Lake.

"We've been providing service since 1996, and we recognize the need now for a downtown transit center," he said. "We need to have a place where you know you can go catch the bus and go route to route or even mode to mode like from the bus to a taxi."

Wright said the agency is in talks with Greyhound and Northwestern Trailways to have their stops be at the transit center too.

"The goal is to have one facility for people to come and use for all their transit needs," he said.

Wright said they purchased the lot for the transit center using agency funds, but will seek a state Department of Transportation grant to fund the project's construction. The agency is hoping to receive about $1.2 to $1.3 million. The final cost of the project has not been finalized yet, he said.

The cost will vary, said Wright, depending on which design option they go with. The agency is considering three different options, with the major difference between them being the size of the amenity building.

Building options range from 1,500 to 1,900 square feet, according to design renderings.

Wright said they should know by April if they will receive grant money. If they do, construction will likely start in the summer.

He said if they don't receive any grant funding, they will look at ways to complete the project in phases.

In the meantime, Wright said the agency is seeking public input on the project.

"We're just at the starting point right now," he said. "We have the conceptual drawings but we want to hear from the community to see what they think and what they're interested in seeing."

Wright said there is a survey on the agency's website for people to take regarding the project. The survey is available in both English and Spanish.

Initial design renderings will also be able to be viewed online later this week, he said.

Wright said he hopes the new facility will make it more convenient for residents to access public transit options.

"We want to make it easier for people to get around and use public transit," he said. "We hope that if it were easier, more people would use it. The goal is to increase ridership."

For more information on the project, or to take the survey, visit www.gta-ride.com.