Every half hour on weekdays, buses operated by the La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility (MTU) stop at Grand River Station in La Crosse, WI, to pick up and drop off passengers. But the recently opened transit center is more than just a central bus hub; it’s part of a transit-oriented development (TOD), along with residential and commercial space, that city officials say will play a primary role in revitalizing the downtown area.

The Grand River Station development, situated in the heart of downtown La Crosse, mixes retail and residential precincts built close to public transportation. It contains the city’s regional transit center, 92 mixed-income rental apartments, ground floor retail space, and parking. Fifteen of the apartments in the station are designed for “live/work” artists or entrepreneurs who work from home.

MTU Manager Keith Carlson said he would like to see the station bring more people to downtown La Crosse. “Our hopes for the future are for further development as a result of transit here. The additional housing will bring more people to the downtown area. As a collective of the two, we want to improve the downtown neighborhood through more businesses and housing,” he explained.

Carlson noted the ripple effect that begins with new residents in the downtown area, leading to a positive effect on the local economy. The project is expected to generate a tax base for the city of La Crosse and provide a significant revenue stream for the transit system to pay for operation and maintenance of the facility and expanded transit services in the community.

“It makes sense. The more people you having living in downtown, the better off your retail is going to be,” said Tim Kabat, director of La Crosse’s Downtown Mainstreet Inc.

The buses that serve the transit center provide connections between the restaurants, bars, and shops of downtown with the rest of the city, including University of Wisconsin La Crosse and several health centers. The facility itself provides such rider-friendly amenities as electronic signs announcing when the next bus is scheduled to depart, an indoor waiting area, public restrooms, vending machines, and a customer service desk.

Additionally, Grand River Station is looking to expand its transportation options. In addition to MTU, the intercity carrier Jefferson Lines uses the station for daily bus service from Madison, WI, and Minneapolis.

The agency began making plans for a new transit center because of serious pedestrian safety concerns at the former transfer location, Fifth and State streets: riders had to cross traffic to transfer between buses and battle ice and snow in the winter months.

“MTU had no identity downtown. We had no way to communicate with riders because of a lack of facility. As a business we hope to improve the image of public transit in La Crosse in hopes of gaining new riders,” Carlson said “In partnership with the city and other entities, we will continue to strive to create additional downtown development. This partnership makes the whole system much better.”

An interior view of La Crosse Municipal Transit Utility's Grand River Station.