Last week, the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) opened its new $11.5 million Multimodal Transportation Center project, giving students, visitors, faculty and staff easier access to the campus as part of a continued goal to make it visitor-friendly.

The new facility also serves as an additional location for parking while helping maintain the university's signature park-like, pedestrian-focused atmosphere.

The facility is a stop for the Panther Shuttle, MET Transit and Safe Ride buses and provides easy access to the Cedar Valley Nature Trails bicycle paths. It will be open to vehicles with university permits and to the public.

Eighty percent of the project was paid for through a federal grant. The rest was paid for through the college's parking fund. The grant also paid for new electronic equipment to display the bus schedules.

The new center supports UNI's ongoing commitment to sustainable practices by reducing vehicular traffic around campus. In addition, approximately 990 solar panels will be installed, providing 96 percent of the annual usage via solar energy. The solar panel project is expected to start this winter.