The City of Tallahassee announced at Wednesday’s City Commission meeting that a new transit center will be created on the south side. The transit center will be located at the corner of Orange Avenue and Meridian Street.StarMetro began planning the transit center in 2013, when it made an appearance in the transportation agency’s plan for a super-stop location.
The facility will include a multiple-bay area for more fixed route buses, a ticket booth and more.
It will also incorporate historical and community art and safety equipment to prevent crime.
According to city documents, the center will also bring stormwater improvements to the area, which includes pond restoration.
Commissioner Curtis Richardson, a south side resident, said he looks forward to the addition and hopes it brings more to the city’s south side.
“I want to say this can’t happen fast enough … I was down there this morning, and it looked like there was probably about a half dozen or more mattresses. I see that all the time when I pass there and so I am really looking forward to this addition to the south side of Tallahassee and what it is going to do for our citizens in that area,” Richardson said.
Stanley Sims, a Tallahassee resident, explained during the meeting how he is afraid that the center will bring traffic, but still wants to see it flourish.
“…. That mitigating factor of that roundabout that is on the opposite end …sometimes there is a backup and we just need to be cautious,” Sims said.
City Manager Reese Goad also commented on the transit center. “I think it would really enhance the service for our riders,” Goad said.
The city is also in Phase 2 of community engagement, which includes meetings with neighborhoods and organizations for community input.
The facility is in the environmental and design phase, which should take 18-24 months to complete.
StarMetro will also begin seeking funding for the bay as soon as it clears all permits for constructions.
The city expects a design for the facility by late spring or summer pending meetings with architects and engineers.
The city will host a South Side Transit Center Day this Saturday to share more about the new facility coming to the area.
For those interested in learning more about the facility, the event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the site of the proposed project.