Inter-city bus service improves in Upper Peninsula

NEWS RELEASE

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

************************* City of St. Ignace, MDOT, and Indian Trails announce opening of new transportation facility

What

The City of St. Ignace and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), in conjunction with Indian Trails, Inc., announce a ribbon-cutting dedication and grand opening for the new St. Ignace Transportation Facility.

This first-ever, permanent bus facility will handle the transfer of passengers on the state-supported intercity bus routes in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) with the state-supported intercity bus routes in the northern lower peninsula.

Indian Trails plans to begin using the new station on Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the dedication and open house scheduled for Monday, September 28.

Who

MDOT, city of St. Ignace and Indian Trails staff, State, county and local legislators/officials, business and community representatives, interested public When

Monday, September 28, 2009 2 p.m. (ribbon-cutting ceremony) 2 to 7 p.m. (open house) Where

The ceremony will be held at the new facility, 700 West US-2 at Church Road in St. Ignace, just east of the I-75 intersection on the north side of US-2 near the Mackinac Bridge.

Special accommodations: (906) 643-9671

Background

In a unique partnership, MDOT and the city of St. Ignace built a state-of-the-art facility that will better serve customers, and also provide overnight accommodations for Indian Trails bus drivers.

The $1.7 million facility was financed with a combination of state and federal funds.

The facility has a public lobby with vending machines, a 24-hour accessible foyer with Americans with Disabilities Act access, ample parking, and separate bus lanes.

The city of Ignace owns the building and will provide a 20-year lease for the facility.

Prior to the opening of the new bus station, passengers used various other temporary bus stops located at St. Ignace businesses.

The new station is the northern-most terminal for daily bus service throughout Michigan, which links nearly 150 cities and towns throughout the state.

Service is provided between St. Ignace and Ironwood (via Escanaba), and between Calumet, Michigan and Milwaukee, Wisconsin (via Marquette and Gwinn).

Service also is provided for Alma, Mt. Pleasant, Clare, Harrison, Houghton Lake, Grayling, Gaylord, and Indian River, then connecting to the U.P. service.

Indian Trails operates seven days per week, 365 days each year.

For more information about these routes, contact Indian Trails at 800-292-3831, or visit here.

A Michigan intercity bus route map can be viewed at this website.

Click on "Rail & Public Transit," then "Passenger Transportation" for the link.

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