New GRTC transfer station opens downtown

GRTC opened its new downtown hub for bus operations over the weekend.

Why it matters: The new transfer station brings amenities long missing from the old on-street facility across the street.

• That includes displays at each bay indicating how long until the next bus arrives and sheltered waiting areas outfitted with USB charging ports.

Details: The $2.2 million facility is located in a former city parking lot next to the John Marshall Courts Building at 8th and Clay streets.

• The facility went into service Sunday and a formal ribbon cutting is scheduled for Monday.
• It replaces what was billed as a temporary transfer station along 9th Street that opened in 2014.

Zoom out: GRTC also began a handful of service improvements, including increasing Pulse service on Saturdays from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.