Albany Transit to receive $1.9 million for new transit center

ALBANY — The City of Albany moved one step closer to developing a new downtown transportation hub this week when officials learned that Albany Transit will be receiving $1.9 million in additional state funding for the project.

Chris Tomlinson, executive director of the State Road & Toll Authority, joined Governor Nathan Deal in announcing that the state agency is awarding $75 million through the GO! Transit Capital program to 11 transit infrastructure projects across Georgia.

That Albany’s transit project was among those receiving funding came as good news to many area leaders who have championed the transit center project, formerly known as the Multimodal Transportation Center.

The project, which has been in the works for nearly 20 years, had languished in recent years as city officials sought additional state and federal funding needed to complete the state-of-the-art transit facility. It gained new momentum early this year when City Manager Sharon Subadan urged the Albany City Commission to move forward utilizing the funding that was available.

According to Albany Transportation Director David Hamilton, the city currently has access to $4.8 in federal funding and $611,000 in additional state funding, plus another $611,000 in matching city funds, to go toward the 2014 estimated project cost of approximately $8 million.

“Right now, we have to revisit those numbers,” Hamilton said. “Now, we’re looking at probably $9 million for the project.”

Hamilton added that the GO! Transit Capital funding came as somewhat of a surprise. He said a large portion of the credit for the new funding goes to Tennasha Gresham, a transit planner who came across the grant program late last year and worked hard to apply for the grant. Hamilton said he was skeptical that the project would qualify for the funding but allowed Gresham to move forward with the application.

“She was very optimistic from the start,” said Hamilton. “I didn’t think we’d get it, but she did. She worked really hard on this.”

Hamilton said the Transportation office was originally contacted in January and was asked for more information about the transit project. They learned this week that the project had been chosen.

“We’re excited about this,” said Hamilton. “We’re very fortunate to be receiving this money.”

Hamilton explained that the project had taken another step forward earlier this year when the city moved ahead with a Phase II environmental study at the current transportation center at 300 W. Oglethorpe Blvd.

In February, after what Hamilton called “artifacts” were found at the site, archaeological testing was begun, and the results of that study should be known by October or November, at which time he said he hopes the city will be approved to move the project into the design phase.

“The A&E part of the project should last about four to six months,” said Hamilton. “So we’re probably about two to three years away from starting construction.”

Although no designs have been formalized, Hamilton said the new transit center is expected to be a “one-floor layout” that should be “in excess of 10,000 square feet.” He added that the center will also feature many modern amenities such as free WiFi access and “real-time” displays that will allow passengers to have a better idea of where buses are and what their wait times will be.

Hamilton said the general plan for the transit facility also calls for the acquisition of property adjacent to the existing station so that arrivals and departures will become easier for buses that will enter and exit the facility between Highland Avenue and Oglethorpe. That will eliminate the need for buses to have to reverse in order to turn around as they leave the property, which Hamilton said has caused significant problems in the past.

“From a safety and efficiency standpoint, this will be absolutely beautiful for the community,” Hamilton said. “It will enhance the customer experience. It’ll be really great for the passengers.”

In addition to being convenient for passengers, Hamilton said the Transit Center will also be good for the community as a whole, especially downtown Albany and the Harlem area.

“This is a good thing,” he said. “It will be a real catalyst for economic development.”