The MultiModal Terminal Facility

Note: The picture at left is not the current design of the MultiModal Terminal. A newer preliminary design has come out and can be viewed on the BUS newsletter. Below is the link to the newsletter.

Brownsville is close to building a one stop bus station called the MultiModal Terminal Facilty within the next year or so. This new terminal will be built between E. Jefferson St and E. Adams St and as far back as 13th St. Click here to see the BUS Newsletter that shows the close approximation of the design of the new terminal: MultiModal Terminal.

This terminal is will house all the bus companies such as Greyhound, Adame, Expresso, etc and the city busses into one terminal, hence the term MultiModal Terminal Facilty. I believe that BUS (Brownsville Urban System) has received funding for their project just recently so hopefully construction can begin within the next year or two.

This new terminal will hopefully accomplish the following:

1. Have one central location for all bus companies instead of sprouting all over downtown.

2. Make transportation easier for UTB students as the terminal would be right across the campus.

3. Revitalize the downtown area with new retail and restaurants.

4. Motivate owners of historic buildings and homes to renovate their properties.

5. Any other spinoff that may result in the revitalization of downtown.

The preliminary design is very nice and incorporates styling of its surrounding, most noticably of Spanish-Colonial that also includes a dome. The design features a two story building with a dome and two retail buildings. A multistory garage was in the design but unfortunately, the funding does not provide for a garage. The city would have to pay for its construction. A garage is definately needed in downtown that can be used for the terminal and the dowtown area. Parking is dreadful most of the time and needs to be remedied (another good topic for this blog). I do hope the city can find money to build it or find funding elsewhere.

This new terminal is a win-win situation for dowtown and Brownsville as a whole. Students would have better access to campus and therefore provide incentive to ride the bus rather than bring their car, which in turn, reduce gas consumption, reduce pollution, increase public transportation, and have other bus options available to the general public. The North Transfer Station is currently under construction on FM 802 across from HEB and Paseo Plaza. This station will help reach more riders from the north part of town and more routes will undoubtedly be added.

Can't wait to see it built!

TonyL