>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Construction workers get right back to work on the new Northeast Oregon Multi-Modal Transportation Hub following groundbreaking ceremonies Monday morning. - The Observer/CHRIS BAXTER

Partners in the project, representatives from Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Union County, the City of La Grande and more, took gold spades in hand and turned some earth as cameras clicked and whirred. Bystanders cheered at the symbolic kicking off of the project.

“This is a first step in embarking on our new transportation program,” said Community Connection Executive Director Margaret Davidson.

When completed, the 6,000-square-foot center will bring together under one roof a myriad of local transportation providers.

Community Connection’s fixed route transit system and its Dial-A-Ride program will be headquartered there, as will ARC, the local taxi company, and the local bike-pedestrian program.

Community Connection’s transportation officer will have an office. Transportation will be coordinated in a dispatch center outfitted for the purpose.

Best of all, Greyhound Bus, currently doing business in Union County at the Flying J truck stop outside town, will take up quarters in the building.

Passengers will even have an indoor waiting area to take shelter in.

“This solves some issues. If your bus comes in at 2 a.m. you’re not going to be dumped out on a side street in the pouring rain,” Union County Commissioner Steve McClure said.

Some $850,000 of the $1.1 million project comes from a ConnectOregon grant awarded last year. Donations of cash and in-kind services from Union County and the cities of La Grande, Island City and Elgin were applied to the balance and used to leverage the grant funds.

“This project is an example of the collaborative way we do things in Union County,” McClure said.

key players dig in: Several of the individuals who played integral roles in bringing to fruition this “first step in embarking on our new transportation program,” had the honor of breaking ground with ceremonial gold spades. - The Observer/CHRIS BAXTER

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Thomas said he was especially pleased that Greyhound’s stop will again be located in the city.

“It’s bringing Greyhound back to the community. No longer will it be two-and-a-half miles east of Eden,” he said.

Thomas spent some time thanking groups and agencies that helped get the project off the ground.

Those included the cities of La Grande, Island City and Elgin, the Oregon Department of Transportation, Eastern Oregon University, Department of Human Services, Union County and others.

“Union County believed in transit before anybody believed in it,” he said.

Mike Becker is the lead contractor on the project. Local subcontractors include Western Automatic Fire Sprinklers of La Grande and J&J Electric of Cove.

Thew’s Sheet Metal of Pendleton is installing the heating and air conditioning system.

Site preparation began about two weeks ago. Building construction will begin after the city of La Grande reviews the final plan.

“Once the final plan review is done, it’s going to go up fast,” said Thomas.