The current Valley Transit station located in Downtown Appleton. June 25, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Valley Transit building in downtown Appleton has been a hub for Fox Valley bus transit for 35 years.
“This is a building that has long outlived its design, and we know we need to do something with this property that serves the system better,” said Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford.
The city is making plans for a renovation and expansion to meet Valley Transit’s needs for the coming decades.
Woodford added, “We set out on an initiative to not only replace this transit center but think of other ways to contribute to the neighborhood and address other challenges that our community faces.”
The city received a $25 million federal grant for the project, and also plans to pitch in $1.8 million from pandemic relief funds.
Ron McDonald, Valley Transit’s general manager, said the city will now look for a builder for the apartments.
“We got this grant to pay for the transit portion of it, and then we’re going to make this a joint development agreement where we will bring in the private sector.”
While the development plans for the apartments have not been finalized, McDonald said the grant is an important step towards improving the station.
“We’ll have added security, we’ll have added accessibility, we will have a covered structure so that people can get out of the elements.”
Another change coming to Valley Transit is shifting from buses to transport shuttles during off-hours.
Woodford laid out the project’s goals.
“Our focus on this project now and moving forward is to make sure that we deliver a great experience for our riders, that we reduce the environmental impact of the transit center, our transit system, and that we make a dent in the affordable housing needs for Appleton and the Fox Cities.”
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