The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) $10 million to continue construction on a new transit hub in downtown Des Moines.
In July, an initial $6.5 million was released to begin construction on the facility, which will allow for more efficient transportation in the Des Moines metropolitan area and enhance the quality of life of its residents. The funding announced this week, which was included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations bill, is in addition to that amount.
The Des Moines Sustainable Multi-Modal Transit Hub will offer riders basic amenities including public restrooms, an indoor climate-controlled waiting area and a customer service desk. For bicyclists, the transit hub will offer the first and only public bicycle storage facility in downtown, giving otherwise would-be bicycle commuters a place to park their bikes while they are at the office.
The transit hub will be within blocks of multiple walking and biking paths, several major employers, the Polk County Courthouse, the Court Avenue entertainment district and the site of the future Amtrak passenger rail station.
