A $9 million transportation center, which the Champaign Mass Transit District for 10 years, to become a reality by 1998, making travel into, out of and around Champaign-Urbana more convenient.

The Intermodal Transportation Center, which at the intersection of Chestnut Street and University Avenue in Champaign, a variety of transportation services, as well as some commercial offices.

Bill Volk, MTD managing director, said ground on the 60,000 square foot center this fall and to be completed in October or November of 1998. MTD, Greyhound, Illini-Swallow and Amtrak services within the structure, Volk said.

"We to integrate transportation functions into the community more," he said

The transportation center as MTD's primary downtown transfer point, Volk said. A location that almost every bus route , this point at the corner of Hill and Neil streets in Champaign. Some buses to be rerouted in the downtown area to accommodate the new location, Volk said.

The ground floor of the four-story transportation building is reserved for a boarding and waiting area for MTD buses, he said.

The first floor of the center will be a station for over-the-road buses, Volk said. Greyhound Bus Lines, currently located at 1502 N. Cunningham Ave., Urbana, and Illini-Swallow Lines, 15 E. Washington St., Champaign, and operations in the new center, he said.

In addition, "convenience retail facilities," such as fast-food establishments, on the first floor, Volk said.

Amtrak services will be located on the second floor of the center and, despite possible cutbacks in some of its routes, Volk said Amtrak will be a part of the transportation center "in some form." A covered bridge passengers to easily walk to the tracks to board their train, Volk said.

The third and fourth floors for commercial use, to "allow the building to pay for itself," Volk said. There is a possibility that a day-care center will be available on the fourth floor, he said.

Champaign Mayor Dannel McCollum said a link might alsoto a third transportation source, with a limousine service provided between the center and Willard Airport.

Volk said the funds for the transportation center are already in place, and therefore additional taxes on Champaign residents to pay for the facility. The construction of the center with about $3 million in federal funds, $3 million in state funds, $2 million by MTD and $1 million by the city of Champaign, Volk said.

Craig Rost, Champaign deputy city manager for development, said the $1 million committed to the project by the city of Champaign for the infrastructure, including streets, sewers, parking and landscaping that as part of the construction of the center.

McCollum said he supports the money the city toward the project to "make the development work." He added that having all of these transportation sources in one location will be a convenience to the using public.

"The idea of pulling together the transportation access that we have good sense to me," McCollum said.

The transportation center passengers to travel into the city by train or over-the-road bus and then a city bus right to where they need to go, Rost said.

"It is an advantage to the travelling public because it transportation uses into a central location," he said.

Rost also said the center in more retail traffic for the downtown area, and be economically good for the city.

MTD a condemnation proceeding that the purchase price of the property that the future center, Volk said. This property, also known as the Fish Market Property, is directly across the street from the current Amtrak station. The trial for the second week of February, Volk said.

Volk said the building now used by Amtrak by a private party and to someone else once Amtrak business in the new center.

Part of the need for the transportation center is to update the interior and make conditions more attractive than some of the older, shabbier depots, such as the current Amtrak station, Volk said.

"Some bus stations are memorable but not in a positive sense," Volk said.

Ann Salzmann
Intensive English Institute
University of Illinois