Proposed Multi-Modal Transit Facility to become the transit hub for campus
At its Sept. 15 meeting, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors discussed design concepts for a future Multi-Modal Transit Facility to be built by Blacksburg Transit on the north end of campus.
The proposed 12,000-square-foot, two-story facility, to be located on Perry Street adjacent to the existing parking garage, will become the transit hub for campus. The facility will include an indoor transit rider waiting area with restrooms, enhanced facilities for the Hokie Bike Hub, a locked bicycle storage area, and meeting and office space. Construction could start as soon as 2016.
Nearby bus loops will replace the current bus hub in front of Burruss Hall and greatly reduce the number of busses travelling around the Drillfield. The loops will accommodate up to 17 buses with canopies serving as weather protection.
In addition to serving Blacksburg Transit, the facility and loops will also service other transit providers, including the SmartWay bus.
As part of the project, Perry Street will be reconfigured to carry pedestrian and bus traffic, as well as emergency and service vehicles. That change, along with the relocation of the bus hub, will significantly enhance pedestrian safety. In addition, congestion along the Drillfield should improve.
“The project will make the transit system more efficient and lay the groundwork for future improvements to the North Campus Precinct,” said Sherwood Wilson, vice president for administration. “The precinct is identified by the Campus Master Plan as potential space for additional building construction.”
The newly named Goodwin Hall (formerly the Signature Engineering Building) and the soon to be built Classroom Building are the first of several planned improvements for the North Campus Precinct.
Work on the Classroom Building will begin this fall. It will be located near West Campus Drive and Perry Street in what is now the Derring parking lot. That construction will reduce the number of available parking spaces in the area. The proposed multi-modal facility and bus loops are expected to impact parking as well.
Students, faculty, and staff who currently park in the area are encouraged to plan now for parking changes. Alternative transportation, such as Blacksburg Transit or carpooling, is the best option. Additional commuter and graduate student parking is located off Duck Pond Road.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
Artist rendering of multi-modal facility
Artist rendering of proposed transit facility and pedestrian paths
