TOLEDO, Ohio — It's official: the ribbon has been cut for the new downtown TARTA transit hub.
Officials from the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA), local and state lawmakers and community members attended that ribbon-cutting event on Wednesday.
The goal is to have this transit center up and running in about a week and a half, by August 19.
On Wednesday, the building was was filled with many people excited to see progress coming to the Glass City. That includes passenger, Rebecca Blair, who has been a loyal TARTA and TARPS riders for the last four decades.
"There will be someone here to help us, to direct us to where our right buses are, and that's all I can say about it, because I love TARTA and I don't want them to ever go away. I don't," Blair said.
This marks the end of construction and the beginning of better transit at the newly renovated TARTA Transit Hub at the corner of Cherry and Huron Streets on the northern boundary of downtown Toledo. It eliminates the bus loop on Jackson Street in front of One Government Center.
"This project is another step in the continuation of a rebirth of this little tiny section of Toledo," Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
TARTA riders will have a safe, comfortable and convenient area to wait. The lobby has an information booth where riders will have direct contact to purchase tickets and get information about TARTA routes.
Toledo police are contracted to provide security both inside and outside of the building.
"We really think this is a big first step as we try to shape and change the future of public transportation in Toledo and surrounding areas," TARTA Director of Community Relations, Amy Mohr said.
Mohr said the process of transforming this space had not been without unforeseen challenges.
"We're hoping to have everything up and running by August 19, which is a little later than we had initially anticipated. We had a couple of construction hiccups, which happens on projects like this. But, we're hoping here within the next couple of weeks, we'll have our passengers in the building and getting on and getting off buses right here at Huron and Cherry," she said.
This change will impact everyone who drives through downtown Toledo, moving the majority of bus traffic from Jackson Street to Cherry Street between Huron and Summit.
More importantly though, it will provide more resources for passengers, especially non-drivers like most TPS students.
"We appreciate the partnership of TARTA, continue to encourage the usage of TARTA and we will always be there to support them just as they have supported us, through the good times, the hard times and we will do just the same for them. So again, I am TPS proud, I am Toledo Proud and I am TARTA proud today," Toledo Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Romules Durant said at the event.
TARTA leaders said the new bus lineups will make travel easier and increase connectivity to the downtown region.
On the day buses move their routes, TARTA staff will be on hand in both locations to help passengers with the transition.