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Published: 2/9/2010 | Updated: 2/18/2010
The city of Quincy is seeking a $6 million state grant to finance the construction of an “intermodal” passenger transport station in the downtown area.
This idea has been kicked around informally for several years, but the city is now hoping to move forward with the proposal if it can secure the needed funding through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The concept calls for erecting a facility that could serve as a central hub where all types of public transportation services could come together “under one roof,” according to Chuck Bevelheimer, the city’s director of planning and development.
The proposal calls for serving Amtrak passenger trains and to provide a joint transfer station for Quincy Transit Lines buses, local taxi services, Trailways buses and shuttle vans operated by hotels and private businesses. Mayor John Spring would also like the see the intermodal accommodate bicyclists who could ride to the station and then take their bikes aboard a city bus or Amtrak train.
“I’m excited about this,” Spring said. “I think this has got great potential for us. If we can get the funding for this through this grant, I think we’re well on our way to providing a real tremendous asset to our community.”
There is no guarantee the city will get a grant because of the competitive nature of the funding program, which is taking advantage of some federal dollars awarded to the state. However, the city hopes to sweeten its chances by offering to donate the proceeds from the sale of a city-owned house at the corner of 18th and Seminary Road as the city’s “match” for a grant.
The Quincy City Council’s Finance Committee heard about the proposal Monday
night and authorized city officials to push ahead with the grant application, which must be submitted by Feb. 15. The committee endorsed the idea of pledging the house at 18th and Seminary Road as a way to make the city’s application more attractive to the grant issuers.
“That’s all we know at this time,” said Steve Duesterhaus, Finance Committee chairman. “We don’t know where the facility would be located, how big it would be. We just have a concept here that we want to pursue.”
Director of Administrative Service Gary Sparks said the city is looking at acquiring “a downtown location” for the intermodal station, but he didn’t want to get into specifics.
Bevelheimer said the site being considered is “near the riverfront” and would be able to accommodate a passenger train if Amtrak would be willing to redirect its trains to the new location. Currently, Amtrak picks up passengers at the Amtrak passenger depot at 30th and Wismann Lane. However, the existing depot is in a remote industrialized area with no public transportation available except taxi service.
Out-of-towners getting off the train at night aren’t getting a good first impression of Quincy, which is one reason the city hopes to establish a transportation hub at a busier downtown site.
Bevelheimer said another advantage of having an intermodal station is that Quincy Transit Lines passengers would have a better place to wait for buses than the current transfer point on Jersey between Seventh and Eighth.
“Right now, those people are standing out in the cold until the buses line up,” he said. “There are no facilities for the public. That is what we see as the primary purpose” for developing an intermodal.
Bevelheimer said the new station, if it becomes a reality, would probably not be manned around the clock, but the city may be able to contract with a local entrepreneur to provide a small restaurant or other services to accommodate the public.
Bevelheimer said local Trailways officials have expressed a willingness to participate in an intermodal project. He said the Trailways depot in Quincy “has been hop-scotching between different sites.”
Alderman Raymond “Skip” Vahlkamp said he thinks “the concept of having something is good,” but he wants to make sure the station is placed in a location that best meets the needs of all city residents.
— ehusar@whig.com/221-3378
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