Connect Transit has been awarded a $5 million federal grant to support construction of its planned bus transfer center in Downtown Bloomington, U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen announced Tuesday.
Connect Transit had already secured $18 million in state and federal funding for the center, but its costs have risen over time, leaving transit officials to pursue additional revenue or consider scaling back the project.
Officials have said the project has been targeted for a late 2026 opening. Transit officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday.
“This funding is a welcome addition to the resources we are investing in our new Downtown Bloomington Transit Center, which is a major step forward,” Connect Transit Board Chair Julie Hile said in a statement. “We are eager to deliver on its modernized infrastructure, expanded access, and improved efficiency and safety as a member of the downtown business community. We are grateful for the federal support that makes this possible.”
The funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emissions grant program, which came from the 2022 Infrastructure Bill that supports the purchase of zero and low-emission transit buses and the leasing of supporting facilities.
“The federal funding for a new Downtown Bloomington Transit Center will soon make their bus journeys safer and more reliable, while also revitalizing downtown by bringing more people into the area,” Sorensen said in a statement.
