The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) recently cut the ribbon on the new $21 million DART Central Station, ushering in the “next generation of public transit in Greater Des Moines”—in the words of Steve Van Oort, mayor of Ankeny and chair of the DART Commission.

The station will enter service on Nov. 23.

DART Central Station will replace the current Walnut Street Transit Mall, providing a superior transit facility with real-time departure information, sheltered boarding platforms, and other amenities. At the same time, DART is launching a redesigned and expanded network of bus routes aimed at serving thousands more people by going more places more often, with faster travel times.

“This investment to our transit infrastructure will put people to work, help commuters travel efficiently throughout the city, and boost economic development,” Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) said at the event. “I have long supported federal funding for this effort to ease travel for Iowans who rely on public transportation, and I will continue to work to provide federal assistance for public transit crucial for so many in central Iowa.”

Jay Byers, chief executive officer of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, said the new station will serve as the cornerstone for an ongoing renaissance in the region’s public transit system.

Funding for the station project included $16.5 million in federal grants and a $4 million state IJOBS grant.

The entrance to DART Central Station in downtown Des Moines.