Lincoln has broken ground on a new $33 million transportation center that city officials say will improve StarTran service and provide riders with a central hub for public transportation.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and transportation officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday for the Multi-modal Transportation Center near Ninth and “H” streets. Construction is expected to begin this week, with completion scheduled for spring 2028.
The center will include 19 covered bus bays, indoor and outdoor waiting areas, restrooms, customer service and ticket sales, along with access to BikeLNK bicycles and ScooterLNK scooters. StarTran administrative offices will also be housed in the new facility.
Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Director Liz Elliott said the city considered more than a dozen potential locations before selecting the site. She said more than 80% of StarTran ridership is concentrated in the area, with destinations including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kawasaki and state offices.
Elliott said feedback from riders living nearby also showed the location could significantly reduce some trips. “Many riders live around here and they’re saying to cut down on the times to commute, to get to work, get their kids to school, having it this close was gonna shave off 30 to 60 minutes of their commute time,” Elliott said.
Longtime StarTran rider Eric Gebers said the indoor facilities are among the improvements he is most looking forward to. “To get out of the summer heat and out of the winter cold will be a real game changer,” Gebers said. “This center gives us a place to go that’s safe, clean, and comforting.”
The facility will also include several sustainability features, including a green roof, geothermal heating and cooling and solar infrastructure designed to generate more energy than the building consumes.
The project is being funded in part by a $23.6 million federal grant and a $900,000 Nebraska Environmental Trust grant, along with city general funds and StarTran Capital Improvement Program funds. The city recently purchased the site from Lancaster County for $3.3 million.
The property is currently used for city and county employee parking. Once completed, the center will span the block bordered by Ninth, 10th, “G” and “H” streets.
Elliott said the project follows nearly two decades of planning, public engagement and efforts to secure funding.
More information about the Multi-modal Transportation Center, including project renderings, amenities and construction plans, is available on the City of Lincoln’s MMTC project webpage