Eau Claire Transit Transfer Center Opens After Years of Delays

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WCFW) – The downtown Eau Claire transit transfer center officially opened this week after years of delays caused by the Covid pandemic and inflation.

Planning for the transfer center originally began in 2013, and construction work began about four years ago. The long-awaited project saw a number of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased construction costs, but the first bus finally departed the facility early on Monday morning.

City officials say the new transfer center at the corner of S. Farwell Street and Main Street can accommodate up to 10 buses at a time. It also features a variety of new amenities for riders, including restrooms, a sheltered waiting area, and Eau Claire Transit staff offices.

Funding for the project came from Tax Incremental Financing from the city as well as a $5 million federal grant. To honor the completion of the long-awaited project, Eau Claire Transit waived all bus fares on Monday in an effort to encourage residents to utilize the new facility.

In addition to the new transfer center, construction work will continue on the housing portion of the project over the coming weeks. Increasing housing stock in the city has been a major goal over recent years as the unhoused population continues to grow. City officials have cited a lower than average vacancy rate as a major challenge in addressing the unhoused population.

The long-running single lane closure on S. Farwell Street will also continue until construction work on the housing units above the transfer center is completed.