In his June 12 comment, Ben Matthews asked about the evolution of the multimodal transportation center project:
Yes, the scope, and you can assume the cost of the multimodal project has changed over time. The building has been three floors and four floors. Yes, the latest version is designed to partially address basic space needs on the City Hall campus.
I am more than happy to find out the latest cost of the project, provide a break down, and identify what spaces will be used for what purpose. But I am certain the scope of the project will continue to evolve depending on the availability of resources and overall community needs.
One thing that has not changed is the main purpose of the multimodal transportation center. It’s intended to be a major Uptown anchor, like transporation centers in many other communities. This is not the first one ever conceived. Take a look at what they have over in Champaign.
It would be a major improvement over the current Amtrak station, and go a long way to enhance the quality of rail service for an ever increasing number of citizens. It would become the major Uptown Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System transfer station, replacing the plastic shelters on North Street near Watterson Towers. It would serve intercity buses. A lot of people ride the Mega Bus that stops here to pick up passengers at the Amtrak station.
There are other intercity buses that drop off and pick up riders at the Amtrak station. There are taxis and shuttles all over our streets. How many other modes of transportation are needed to qualify as a legitimate multimodal station? It’s directly adjacent to Constitution Trail, so there’s a few more modes to consider.
This isn’t a bus barn or a maintenance shed. That’s another facility.
I believe a transportation center would be a convenient and accessible place to hold a public meeting and could house publicly- or privately-owned or leased office space. If the council chambers were moved, the Town could convert the current council chambers to a more productive purpose!
Based on what I’ve heard and the times were in, I would say the prospects for additional federal funding look promising. We pay taxes and we ought to see some of those dollars come back to this community. A major transportation infrastructure project that addresses several needs represents a good use of those resources.
Because federal high speed rail dollars are passed through the State of Illinois, we won’t know how much the Town will receive until a capital bill is finished.
And as we all know, that could be awhile.
There is no other city or town in Illinois that would make better use of a multimodal transportation facility than Bloomington-Normal. In the past five years, Bloomington-Normal has passed Champaign-Urbana and Springfield to become not only the second busiest Amtrak station in Illinois, but the fourth busiest Amtrak station in the Midwest. While traffic at CIRA has remained flat (less than two tenths of one percent increase from 2007 to 2008), Amtrak travel has mushroomed (up 19% in the same period). The Amtrak station now serves more than 1/3 of the passengers at CIRA.
I often travel I-55, and I see MegaBus vehicles going north and south on I-55. The bus destination signs on MegaBus repeatedly flashes Chicago-Normal-St. Louis. THAT’S how important we are in Illinois transportation.
We have three major interstate highways converging here, 30,000+ college students, an airport, an enormous Amtrak destination, two of the biggest insurance companies in the country, manufacturing, an unparallelled agriculture center, history, and proximity to major metropolitan areas. Then add a 24-mile network of bicycle and pedestrian trails—one of the best in the state– on top of it all.
But it’s still not enough for some. Some want us to be a backward joke of a town in the name of their political ideology, while Champaign-Urbana, Rock Island, Decatur, Kankakee, Moline, Joliet, East St. Louis, Granite City, Peoria, Rockford, Galesburg, Centralia, Carbondale, and Springfield run circles around us.
McLean County has more people today than Rock Island County, which has two multimodal transportation centers built in the past 10 years. Within five years, McLean County will once again pass Champaign County in population.
A multimodal facility in Normal would be one of the best investments ever made in the state of Illinois.
John-
I couldn’t agree more that we should address the increased Amtrak ridership in Normal. I have used the train on multiple trips to Chicago and St. Louis. Of course, I’m sure many of us would use it more often if it had a better record of being on time. Perhaps high speed rail could address that need…let’s hope.
I think my concern (and the concern of many I have spoken with on this issue–Republicans, Democrats, Greens and Libertarians alike) is the overall use of the structure. I can understand the need for a better Amtrak station. Having worked at ISU and parked in the deck across from the bus pickup at Bone, I can even see potential for charter bus use. Perhaps it makes sense to have local bus stops moved to the multimodal…though other locations seem to work just as well. And certainly, a new station would draw in some cabs…though that isn’t necessarily a change from our currently undersized Amtrak building. So by all means…let’s see what we can do to improve those services.
I guess that’s where the questions begin. The drawings and estimates I have seen seem to indicate a large portion of the building will serve purposes other than the multiple modes of transportation. I’m not convinced that we should increase the cost of the building in order to have additional office space, council chambers, etc. So the question remains…could we decrease the cost by removing the extras from the project?
As for the cost, there are other questions. I have seen the estimates and the price tag seems to indicate something around $41 million. For years we were told something around $24 million, now we hear $36 million. Granted, costs change over time…but what is the actual price going to be? And since this is going to be funded by tax dollars, are we spending dollars in the most efficient and practical way on the project?
We should definitely address our transportation needs with the proposed facility. I think many of us just want to see it done in a manner that makes sense…fulfills our needs and doesn’t stretch the bottom line with extras.
I don’t think that’s a question of party affiliation or political ideology. And if it is, perhaps you can clarify which ideology wants a “backward joke of a town”. I don’t really think that the price tag and scope of this project are based on political ideology…but the questions can lead to a more sensible approach to this potentially beneficial project. If done properly and practically, this could be a project which everyone in town, from all parties, could support.
(And one question I have personally, which may be answered with final design plans: is this going to drastically increase auto traffic in the Uptown/roundabout area? If so, is this counterproductive to other efforts?)
Andrew–
1. I have never seen a price tag on a multimodal center even remotely approaching $41 million. Everything I’ve seen has been in the low 20s, and that includes building a facility to accommodate other uses such as office, retail, parking, and local government. If you compare the construction of the College Avenue parking deck, the Bank of Illinois, the Children’s museum, the JSM facility, and the scale of the Mariott Hotel and Convention Center, there’s no way a multimodal transportation center could cost anywhere near $41 million, especially with the downturn in construction. The total pricetag on the new 10-acre B-NPTS garage/maintenance/office facility is $7.8 million. Where in the world are you getting those outlandish numbers of $36 and $41 million?
2. Bloomington-Normal has an annual growth rate of nearly 2%, higher than almost every other metro area in Illinois. We have the second-highest traffic Amtrak station in the state. We have the lowest unemployment rate, the highest home appreciation rate, one of the lowest crime rates, and the highest median income south of I-80. Given these tremendously positive numbers, shouldn’t we plan ahead for more growth, rather than reacting to it after the fact and thereby stunting growth?
3. Andrew, I applaud your efforts to become more involved in the planning and implementation and discussion of local government decisions. But you need to be intellectually honest in the process. You’re a great voice for moderation and fiscal responsibility, but it doesn’t do anyone any good when you try and claim that a multimodal transportation facility is going to cost twice as much as every published estimate. That’s just irresponsible.
John, I’ve learned in my limited experience to support what I say with facts and data. In politics and policy, there will always be conflicting data which we must filter in order to determine best practices and decisions. However, emotion tends to cloud such discussions because we all have preconceived notions, biases, beliefs, and philosophies on life. I’ll avoid a response in kind as I understand that you believe certain things about me…though I don’t believe we’ve ever met. After reading the following, please let me know if you would like further information to clarify or explain other points of disagreement.
-From wjbc.com on June 3: “Koos says the money isn’t earmarked for use yet. The town was asking for $20 million. Koos says the grant will go to the total amount. The facility will house Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System buses, high speed rail, airport shuttles, taxis and other forms of transportation.
Recently, the town council approved a contract for consulting services, knowing the project was in limbo waiting for funding. The multi-modal transportation center costs an estimated $36 million.”
-From The Pantagraph (March 19, 2007): “Congress has already pumped $10 million into the $34.5 million project”
-From The Pantagraph (Sept. 22, 2007): “Normal has received $9.9 million in federal funding for the $34.5 million multimodal transportation center in uptown Normal”
-From The Pantagraph (August 19, 2005): “It would be a key element in the downtown plan, but is estimated to cost $33.8 million. That total anticipated $19.5 million in federal funding, but only $11.8 million has been committed or pledged thus far”
-From The Pantagraph/Jerry Weller editorial (January 30, 2005): “The multimodal center’s projected cost is $33.8 million, with $19.5 million coming from the federal government and the remaining funds from state and local authorities”
Hopefully that sampling is helpful. I’m working on getting a copy of the Trades and Labor report…that’s the only place I’ve seen the $41 million figure. I believe it was in their submission regarding stimulus projects. I’ll see what I can do…though it will likely be in paper format.
I do take issue with the price of this project. St. Louis recently opened their multimodal center which houses more modes of transportation, includes many of the same amenities, and serves about 40% more passengers. The price tag on that project was somewhere between $25 and $31 million, depending on which figures are used. That being the case, it seems there can be changes made to our project to meet current and future needs at a lower cost.
I appreciate your compliment regarding my efforts to be involved. I certainly think there are some misconceptions about my approach to government, but you are right in that I take a fiscally conservative approach to spending. Part of that approach is to do my homework ahead of time. In doing so, I try to ensure that my statements are factually supported and data-driven. I’ll certainly make mistakes, but I don’t think this is one of them. I’ll always try to avoid making statements about the person when the disagreement is in regards to policy. And I’ll certainly avoid making statements about someone’s honesty or responsibility without sufficient information. I simply wouldn’t do that…it wouldn’t be right or respectful. I’m sure you agree.
As Truman said, “I never give them hell. I just tell the truth and they think it’s hell.”
John
Just thought you might find the link and information below interesting, based on what you stated here:
“I have never seen a price tag on a multimodal center even remotely approaching $41 million. Everything I’ve seen has been in the low 20s, and that includes building a facility to accommodate other uses such as office, retail, parking, and local government. If you compare the construction of the College Avenue parking deck, the Bank of Illinois, the Children’s museum, the JSM facility, and the scale of the Mariott Hotel and Convention Center, there’s no way a multimodal transportation center could cost anywhere near $41 million, especially with the downturn in construction. The total pricetag on the new 10-acre B-NPTS garage/maintenance/office facility is $7.8 million. Where in the world are you getting those outlandish numbers of $36 and $41 million?”
According to this: http://www.normal.org/Gov/Council/AM/Report2009_08_03.pdf on page 78:
“We understand that this $43.8 million project
will enhance the transportation access within Normal, as well as encourage even more downtown development projects currently underway.”
Yeah, I don’t know where those outlandish numbers were coming from.
So it sounds like all parties are seemingly in agreement that the multimodal center is needed, but a few people have some reservations about the cost of including extra office space for the use of the town within the project. From the way I see it, which could be flawed since I do not have experience in these issues; the Town has a need for more office space on the horizon. Including the space in this project, which would cost more in the short term, would be a cost savings over the long term since it would prevent the need to expand the government campus when the need for expansion occurs in the near future. The fact that some federal dollars can be used just makes the deal even better for the citizens of the town.
Andrew–
The massive JSM project at North and Fell is a five-story, mixed-use project with 137 “luxury” apartments and 13,000 sq. ft. of retail just for CVS alone. The total pricetag is $31 million.
The multimodal transportation facility has a similar pricetag, but it includes improvements to streets, roadways, tracks, and signalling. If you want to count that, the total cost would be similar to the JSM development. Personally, I don’t think the infrastructure improvements should be counted, because much of it would be needed improvements if the current station were left as is.
Compare that to the cost of CIRA improvements. In 2002 alone, $26.7 million was spent on runway and taxiway improvements to CIRA, with 90% coming from the federal government. This was only five months after construction of a $14.7 million terminal. Bonds had to be issued to cover the local costs. CIRA showed only a .14 increase in passengers from 2007 to 2008, remaining static at just over 535,000 each year.
Peoria’s new airport terminal is costing $65 million– in spite of the fact that passengers at Peoria’s airport just recently passed their 1978 record level of 550,000 passengers per year. And since Peoria’s terminal is isolated, there are no ancillary transportation or economic development benefits.
Normal’s Amtrak station currently serves more than 180,000 train passengers a year, not including taxi, bus, pedestrian, shuttle, and bicycle passengers. The growth rate at the tiny B-N Amtrak facility has been in the high teens in percentage for the past three years, while airport usage in both B-N and Peoria has been flat. I’d wager (I don’t know for sure) that aside from expanding the parking lot, there hasn’t been a total of $2 million expended on the Amtrak station since it was first built in the early 1990s.
I’m sorry if I’ve been a little bit “snarky” with you, Mr. Matthews. I am very sincere when I say that I’m glad you’re becoming more involved, and I was very impressed by the campaign you ran for mayor. My apologies if I was needlessly severe.
John-
Thanks for your response. And I do appreciate your support of increased involvement…policies and decisions are only improved when more voices are heard.
The facts are what they are. In light of the “moving target” that is Uptown and our TIF, it’s understandable why there is confusion over the price and scope of projects. I’m not sure that comparison to local air service is beneficial in this case, but it is certainly worth discussion for another time.
I don’t mind snark in discussion. In fact, I tend to be somewhat sarcastic and appreciate dry wit. However, I guess I didn’t see snark in your comments…though that is just my perception. What I have seen locally (in a number of cases, including recent political campaigns) is a tendency to attack someone’s credibility rather than dealing with the issues. It’s certainly easier to call someone a liar or irresponsible than it is to go through the process of discussing the facts at hand. In many cases, it’s also effective. As a practitioner of PR, I understand the process…it’s just not something I feel is necessary or beneficial as it doesn’t lead to open dialogue or better decisions. Others may disagree, and that’s certainly their choice. However, I will do my best to stick to the issues. As my wife often reminds me, you’ll never regret taking the high road.
The issues facing our community are real and the facts are available if people take the time to ask the right questions and do the research. I don’t mind when people disagree on priorities or decisions based upon the facts, but we should at least base decisions on reality. The reality is that this project is going to cost somewhere in excess of $30 million as proposed. Reality is we don’t know where that money is going to come from even though we are 10 years into the project and heavily invested as a community. Reality is that Normal is asking department heads to cut their budgets. Reality is that we can only afford to resurface 4 of 36 streets that are on the priority 1 list. In light of these facts and others, I think it’s important that we take a hard look at the decisions being made and ways that we can provide needed improvements without breaking the bank.
Believe me, I don’t fault you for the confusion over the numbers…Lord knows that many have been provided. Please stay involved in local issues. We need more people like you who take the time and effort to make our community a better place. I don’t mind questions and I actually like sarcasm–so please continue asking, and the sarcasm can only remind me to not take things too seriously.
Let’s hope we can get an improved transportation center soon. However, let’s do all we can to make sure it’s done within a sensible budget that meets our needs without causing excessive strain on the budget. And in the process, let’s hope that the facts don’t get buried somewhere beneath the mud.