The public is invited to celebrate the grand opening of the Vernon J. Ehlers Amtrak station in Grand Rapids at 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct 27. Named in honor of the former U.S. Congressman, the station is located at 440 Century Ave. SW.
Some of the guest speakers at the event include U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit; State Transportation Commissioner Lynn Afendoulis; and Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell, along with Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), The Rapid, and Amtrak officials. There will be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony immediately following the speeches. Light refreshments also will be available.
"This beautiful Amtrak station kind of creates a new 'union station' for Grand Rapids," Afendoulis said. "It now unites multiple modes of transportation into one complex. This is the future of enhanced mobility, connectivity, higher ridership, and transit-oriented development."
Located adjacent to The Rapid Central Station, the new $6.1 million Amtrak station integrates bus and rail transportation, offers more passenger amenities, and streamlines train operations. Travelers can connect not only with Amtrak trains, but with the new bus rapid transit "Silver Line," local bus transit routes, intercity buses, and taxis.
"We are excited to make this connection between buses and rail happen," Peter Varga, CEO of The Rapid, said. "The Rapid is all about improving connections and access for the people in our community and those that choose to visit us. It’s been a great partnership between federal, state, and local entities to make this a reality."
The new station is now closer to the central business district and economic activity. It offers a larger waiting room, restrooms, an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant boarding platform with a covered canopy, and 118 spaces for parking. A clock tower with colorful lights harken back to the glory days of rail travel, making the station more visible to motorists on US-131 and helping provide an extra timekeeping reminder for travelers. Trains also can now park on an approximately 1,700-foot-long spur track, which serves the platform and station. Parking the trains at the station saves both crew time and fuel costs.
"We look forward to working with local and state officials to realize the economic potential of this rail corridor," said Mark Murphy, the Amtrak general manager responsible for operating the Pere Marquette service for MDOT. "This is a huge improvement for our passengers as it enables more connections to The Rapid and others in a welcoming building with a brilliant design."
One roundtrip of the popular Grand Rapids-to-Chicago Amtrak Pere Marquette will serve the new station. The first train to regularly depart from the station will be at 7:40 a.m. on Oct. 27 and return at 9.55 p.m.
Funding for the station came from a $4.6 million U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration grant and a $1.5 million match in Federal Transit Administration, MDOT, and local funds.
