File photo Spokane Transit Authority's West Plains Transit Center opens for riders on Sept. 16. A ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the center is on Sept. 18.
By SHANNEN TALBOT
Staff Reporter
According to Spokane Transit Authority officials, the West Plains Transit Center will be opening for business this Sunday, Sept. 16, marking the completion of a year-long construction project aimed at improving the public transportation experience for West Plains residents.
The transit center is located on West Westbow Road, and the STA will be hosting a small ribbon cutting ceremony there on Sept. 18 with 50-100 people in attendance, said Brandon Rapez-Betty, interim director of communications and customer service for STA.
"The need for a transit center is number one to reduce travel times for West Plains community members," Rapez-Betty said.
Until now, residents who wanted to take public transportation from Cheney to Medical Lake had to go all the way into downtown Spokane and then catch another connection to head back into the West Plains.
The transit center will also allow local residents better access to job growth. Several employers in the area contacted the STA and said that better transit would give their employees more access to jobs and more convenience and stability, Rapez-Betty said.
This opening marks the end of the center's first phase, which creates a connection between Cheney, Medical Lake and Spokane. In 2019 or 2020 there will be an additional connection to Airway Heights.
The center has been in the works since about 2012 and construction began in the summer of 2017. Transit officials hope the center will be particularly useful as multi-family units go up in Airway Heights and large businesses move into the West Plains area.
"Amazon would also be a company that would benefit from this," Rapez-Betty said.
New fares went effect July 1, 2018. Residents can purchase two-hour passes, as well as daily, weekly and monthly passes. Passes can be purchased online, at the STA Plaza customer service desk or at select outlet locations in Cheney and Airway Heights. A list of passes, prices and where to find them can be found on http://www.spokanetransit.com/store.
Shannen Talbot can be reached at shannen@cheneyfreepress.com.
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