Mayor Tommy Battle, City leaders cut ribbon on state of the art Transit Center

Published on August 29, 2024

Arriving at 521 Pratt Ave. by Orbit bus, City leaders cut the ribbon on a new downtown Transit Center that expands services and amenities available to customers.

The facility's 14 bus bays ensure capacity for the fleet and plenty of space for riders to board and disembark. The bays are 45 feet in length, allowing bus arrivals and departures in a more convenient setting.

[Link]Director of Parking and Public Transit Quisha Bryant cuts the ribbon on the new Huntsville Transit Center at 501 Pratt Ave.

The ADA-accessible center includes more room for wheelchair customers to maneuver and audio announcements of departures in addition to large platform display monitors.

Another feature is a greenway made possible through the unique architectural design developed by Fuqua & Partners Architects that will funnel rainwater to irrigate the landscaped area. A spacious 3,880-square-foot lobby building includes a ticket counter and comfortable waiting area.

"This state-of-the-art Transit Center is going to be a game changer for public transportation in Huntsville and a quality-of-life enhancement," Mayor Tommy Battle said. "Having just stepped off a bus, I can tell you that our transit system is one of Huntsville's hidden gems and we encourage everyone to take a ride and experience the ease of moving about the city."

The center will open for business on Tuesday, Sept. 3, and a new route to south Huntsville begins the same day.

"From the convenient ticket counter and larger waiting area to the airport-like arrival and departure screens, the upgrades at the Transit Facility are transformational," Director of Parking & Public Transportation Quisha Bryant said. "We are excited that the overall customer experience will be greatly improved."

Council President David Little said the new Transit Center demonstrates the City meeting the demands of growth.

"As a member of City Council, I frequently hear from our community about the critical issues of growth and infrastructure, and expanding public transportation is a common theme in these conversations," Little said. "This new center, along with the expanded service, represents a significant step forward in our efforts to build a robust and inclusive public transportation system."

Les Tillery of Fuqua & Partners Architects explained how the fascinating design for the center was conceived.

"When we were first doing the design process, we thought about, 'What can we do to capture the sense of speed and efficiency of a transit system like Huntsville has, a transit system that is expanding and growing and there to meet the needs for our citizens?'" Tillery said. "We came up with this concept of wings, which is really easy to associate with flight. But we thought if we could represent speed and efficiency and through bus transit, that would be an appropriate metaphor. So that's the inspiration for the structure that you see behind us."

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