VIA Metropolitan Transit held a Ceremonial Grand Opening and Community Celebration on Wednesday, July 19, for the Five Points Transfer Area, a milestone development for VIA’s ongoing investment to enhance passenger amenities.
The newly renovated area includes significant updates for passenger comfort and accessibility at the busy service station. A ceramic sculpture installation by San Antonio artist Diana Kersey provides an eye-catching landmark for the neighborhood gateway. The Five Points project transformed an underutilized lot into an oasis of trees and native plants, providing a welcome respite to the nearly 1,000 VIA passengers who board its six west and northbound routes there daily.
“The unique design of the Five Points Transfer Area was inspired by the high ridership that the stop has historically experienced,” VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said. “The dramatic transformation of this site makes it an inviting environment for VIA’s customers, and offers a convenient connection to the San Pedro Creek.”
Arndt was joined at the podium by Five Points Neighborhood Association President Elyse Bernal, and VIA Board of Trustees Member Bob Comeaux. Artist Kersey, who designed “The Guardians of Five Points,” also participated in the celebration.
The Five Points Transfer Area, 106 E. Fredericksburg Road, is marked by an illuminated, 18-foot branded pillar that serves as a beacon for travelers. The area features Next-Gen shelters, a bicycle parking and repair station, digital bus arrival information, free WiFi, and natural and native shade and landscaping. The Kersey installation at Five Points is part of a long tradition of promoting art in public spaces, including Art in Transit investments that find display space within the agency’s capital projects, facility renovations, and passenger facilities.
VIA service at this location is provided seven days a week, 4:30 a.m. to midnight. The six bus routes serviced by the Five Points Transfer Area are as follows: 2, 82, 88, 95, 96, and 97.
Fisher Heck Architects designed the improvements at this 0.325 acre parcel, and Ashco Contracting, LLC. was awarded the construction contract.
