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Marion targets 15 bus stops for shelters and pads using CMPO funds; Hy‑Vee location needs site work or easement
Summary
City staff proposed using $315,000 in Corridor MPO funds and city matching dollars to upgrade about 15 Marion bus stops from signs only to concrete pads, benches and shelters, with an estimated $400,000 in construction and $32,000 in NEPA environmental reviews.
City staff told the Marion City Council on June 3 they plan to use $315,000 in Corridor MPO funds together with city matching dollars to upgrade about 15 transit stops in Marion and begin environmental review work.
Staff said the current inventory includes 49 stops inside Marion: four have concrete pad, bench and shelter; one has pad and bench; and 44 are signs only. The recommendation is to upgrade 14 sign-only stops to a concrete pad, bench and shelter and convert one pad-only stop into a pad-and-bench location (no shelter at that constrained site).
Staff estimated roughly $400,000 in hard construction costs and about $32,000 in NEPA (environmental) review costs; the city must also comply with Buy America/Build America sourcing requirements, which may affect shelters and vendor selection. "With the new administration, it's Build America and Buy America," staff noted; vendors and specifications may change as rules evolve.
Location decisions will guide environmental reviews and final design. Several high‑ridership sites sit on private property — including Walmart and a Carlson Way/151 area — and staff said federal funds generally cannot pay for improvements on private property. The Hy‑Vee stop drew particular attention: staff said a shelter at the stop as currently sited could impede driveway sight lines because of a curve and grade. Staff said options include moving the shelter a short distance north on Hy‑Vee frontage, partnering with Hy‑Vee for a property easement or pursuing a locally funded outside-the-MPO project to place a shelter on private property.
"If that's the wish of the council, I think we could work with that," the project lead said when council members suggested shifting the Hy‑Vee location for visibility and access.
Councilmembers asked staff to provide a ranked chart of the highest‑ridership stops and whether the proposed upgrades match those top stops. Staff said Cedar Rapids Transit and MPO data informed the selections and that they will provide a detailed ridership/ranking table and site‑specific right‑of‑way assessments before any construction decisions. Staff also warned that completing NEPA and meeting federal procurement and sourcing rules will affect the schedule; staff described a best‑case goal of beginning construction the following year but stressed timing is uncertain.
The council expressed general support for proceeding to site review and NEPA studies for the proposed locations and asked staff to return with the ridership chart, refined cost estimates and notes on private‑property locations and possible easements. The MPO does not require a formal vote to start environmental review; staff will proceed after council concurrence and return with NEPA findings and final design.
