Imperial breaks ground on transit center
IMPERIAL — The city of Imperial on Thursday broke ground on its long-awaited $1.8 million transit center, which will serve Imperial Valley Transit buses traveling both north and south within the Valley.
The transit center will occupy about an acre of undeveloped land located on East Barioni Boulevard at M Street and is strategically located near the Imperial Irrigation District offices.
“It provides a safe and convenient place for riders to be dropped o and picked up,” said City Manager Stefan Chatwin. “It’s right next to our downtown area, which is growing and thriving.”
A combination of local, state and federal funds will finance the project, which is expected to be completed by year’s end.
The transit center had originally been conceptualized about 10 years ago and was helped along by the more recent acquisition of funds and property.
“This is going to be a real nice addition to the city,” said Mayor Geo Dale during the groundbreaking ceremony. “It’s nice to take a blighted area out and make it something viable and nice.”
City o cials had considered other possible locations for the transit center, but ultimately decided the East Barioni Boulevard location represented the best option, Chatwin said.
Funding for the project was comprised of $747,000 from the Federal Transit Authority, about $500,000 from the city of Imperial and approximately $388,000 from the Local Transportation Authority Measure D.
Additionally, the Public Transportation Modernization Improvement and Service Enhancement Account Program provided more than $186,000, while the Imperial County Transportation Commission contributed $27,500.
Among its many amenities, the transit center will include large- and medium-sized shaded bus benches, restrooms, solar-powered lighting, bicycle racks, a bio-retention basin for runo , various shades of colored concrete and signage.
A parking lot situated at its northern edge will be accessible via M Street, a portion of which will be paved as part of the project.
The city spent slightly more than $ 201,241 on the project’s engineering, landscaping and architectural design, said Othon Mora, director of community development for Imperial.
The project is expected to take 120 days to complete, once it soon gets underway.
“You’ll see a lot of movement within the next week,” Mora said.
Currently, the city of Imperial is served by six IV Transit stops, with buses picking up and dropping off passengers about every hour.
The transit center will replace two bus stops located nearby on eastbound and westbound Barioni Boulevard, officials said.
Funding for the project had initially become available in about 2013, with the acquisition of the Barioni Boulevard parcel a few years later, said David Aguirre, ICTC project manager.
“When the funding became available it really started rolling,” Aguirre said. “A lot of the accolades really go to the city.”