BATA Project Celebrates Milestone

aEmployees of the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA-Traverse City, MI) are moving into a new operations center and headquarters as work nears completion on the 87,000-square-foot facility near the intersection of LaFranier and Hammond Road.

The community is invited to celebrate this milestone at an open house and block party on Oct. 5, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can tour the new facility, learn about BATA’s services, and enjoy free food.

“The successful completion of phase one addresses key transportation challenges in the community while the second phase, now in progress, will focus on housing,” according to a press release. “Working in collaboration with the Traverse City Housing Commission, phase two will see the development of more than 200 housing units in the Flats at Carriage Commons along with 15 single-family homes, constructed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The transit-oriented housing development is expected to make it easier for individuals to live and work in Traverse City.”

“This project takes a big-picture view of the challenges facing our community by connecting the dots between transit, housing, and jobs,” BATA Executive Director Kelly Dunham said. “Working in partnership with the Traverse City Housing Commission, we’re making much-needed progress in addressing the critical issues of affordable housing, transportation, and workforce development. These projects will benefit local families, employers, and our economy for years to come.”

The release added: “The recently completed LaFranier Park-n-Ride transfer area will improve connectivity for many BATA routes, including those serving the adjacent housing developments along LaFranier as well as Village Loop connections to outlying areas including Kingsley. The transit center also includes improved indoor storage for up to 100 buses, and an upgraded maintenance center, allowing more repairs to be done in-house. Both phases include the development of new trails and the permanent preservation of 20 acres of wooded wetland protecting the headwaters of Mitchell Creek.”

Funding for the transit phase of the project came from a variety of sources including $13 million in Federal Funds from the Department of Transportation, $10 million in transportation funds from the State of Michigan, $5.4 million in capital funds allocated from BATA, and $2 million from the sale of the Cass Road Facility, which permanently closed to the public on August 26. Additional funding was received by TCHC for the phase two residential project.

For more information, visit BATA.net/2024.