New bus barn coming in northwest Cedar Rapids

The city's bus operation is on track to get a new bus barn and administrative office to replace a facility in northwest Cedar Rapids that was damaged in the June 2008 flood.

The City Council's Infrastructure Committee has given its support to the $4.335-million project, which will replace the existing bus barn and office with a new facility at the same site, 427 Eighth St. NW. A vote of the full City Council is ahead.

Federal disaster funding will pay for much of cost of the project, with the help of two state transit grants totaling $900,000.

About $300,000 will come from local funds on hand and $83,000 from the transit operation's cash reserves.

Brad DeBrower, the city's transit manager, says the new facility should be in place in 18 months. DeBrower has been working from a modular home on the property.

In its application to the Iowa Department of Transportation for funding help, the city noted that the flood-damaged bus barn and administrative office was built in 1949 and was "cramped, dark, outdated, undersized and inefficient" before the flood. All critical components of a new facility will be built above the level of the city's record 2008 flood.

The city also is in the design phase of its renovation of the flood-damaged Ground Transportation Center bus depot, much of the work of which will be paid for by federal disaster dollars. The city hopes to be back in the depot before the winter of 2012-2013. Bus patrons have been using modular homes set up in a parking lot at Second Street and 12th Avenue SE since the 2008 flood.

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