The city of Bloomington, Illinois, is preparing to sell the aging parking garage at 202 W. Market St. to Connect Transit for $10 to make way for a new transit transfer facility.
Connect Transit expects to invest about $28 million in the project, largely from state and federal sources. The multi-level facility will include 10 bus stalls, indoor and outdoor waiting areas, about 90 parking spaces and a Bloomington Police Department office.
The Bloomington City Council approved the agreement unanimously. The city will contribute $358,700 to the project, less than officials anticipated when the concept was first introduced several years ago.
The scope of the work has been pared back since the initial proposal in 2019. At that point, the project was envisioned as a larger mixed-use hub with retail space and additional parking, but rising costs and delays tied to the COVID-19 pandemic led to a redesign that is now about 60% complete.
Connect Transit, which is jointly governed by Bloomington and Normal, is also positioned for potential service expansion as regional leaders consider a broader approach to transit beyond the twin cities.
City leaders say demolition of the existing garage and construction of the new facility are expected to begin in early 2027 and take about 18 months to complete, with a targeted opening in 2028.
Photo by David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
For more of the latest from the expansive government marketplace, check Government Market News daily for new stories, insights and profiles from public sector professionals. Check out our national contracting newsletter here.
