Texas Transit Association

The city of Brownsville will ask the state transportation department for $3.8 million to help build a planned bus station. The grant would help fund a $9.1 million multimodal transportation terminal in the city.

City to seek money for planned bus station
By CRISELDA VALDEZ VILLARREALThe Brownsville Herald

BROWNSVILLE, April 29, 2004 —

Five city commissioners, including Mayor Eddie Treviño, held a special meeting Wednesday to approve a request from the Brownsville Urban System to apply for the grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.

BUS Director Norma Zamora said the facility would put intercity, international and local transportation buses in one terminal.

Zamora said she hopes the project encourages people to use the BUS services.

Commissioner Sally Arroyo, who made the motion to approve authorization for the grant proposal, said the city would benefit from a new terminal.

“I think it’s urgently needed,” she said. “So much of our population needs it.”

City officials had a feasibility study made last year and have said they will seek federal funding for 50 percent to 80 percent of the cost.

Arroyo said the project wouldn’t be a major burden on local taxpayers.

“Brownsville taxpayers won’t have to pay for it,” she said. “Eighty to 90 percent is paid for through state and federal funds.”

Transit planner Tom Logan said the BUS utilizes 15 buses daily from its fleet of 29. About 1.6 million people ride the buses per year, or 13,300 people a month.

Those figures do not include para-transit service for disabled passengers who can’t reach a bus stop. That service operates 12 vans and transports 50,000 people yearly.

The city must provide a local match of $956,099 toward the state grant, combining for $4.8 million for the project. City Grant Writer Alex Lorio said he plans to apply for other grants to help further cover the project’s costs.

Treviño asked if the value of the land for the proposed location could be included in the total for the local matching funds. Zamora said the state would allow that.

The grant allows for staff time spent working on the project to count as local matching funds also, Zamora said.

The BUS department has received more than $300,000 in federal grants to apply toward the project and is still conducting several studies, including environmental assessments and site selection.

Zamora said BUS plans to offer the commissioners two site possibilities on May 18. One is on Adams Street between 13th Street and International Boulevard.

The other is the former Duffey Plaza, which recently was purchased from the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

Friday marks the deadline to submit this year’s grant application to the state. If it is approved, city officials will be notified by July 23.