The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participated in the opening of the Natchez Regional Transit Center and Maintenance Facility, designed to improve access to transportation options for transit riders who live and work in rural Southwest Mississippi.

“Public transportation provides much-needed access to jobs, medical care and other vital services for residents in our nation’s rural communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “This new transit center will help connect thousands of people in Natchez, Adams County and the surrounding area to new jobs and new opportunities throughout the region.”

The FTA provided approximately $3.8 million toward the $4 million transit center, with the majority of funds coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The City of Natchez and Mississippi Department of Transportation are covering the remaining cost of the project.

The facility will improve mobility for residents in rural Southwest Mississippi, including the elderly and people with disabilities, and serve as a regional passenger transfer hub for the Natchez Transit System (NTS), a public, nonprofit organization that provides transportation services to residents in multiple counties of the state.

The two-story, 9,000 square-foot building includes space for maintenance and storage of about 30 transit vehicles, a park-and-ride lot, and public waiting areas where transit riders can purchase tickets and get schedule information. The NTS provides about 70,000 rides annually and will be coordinating with other transit providers in the region to expand transportation services available to riders at the Natchez Regional Transit Center.

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