Construction officially begins today (May 20) on the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) transit hub at 620 Cherry St. The $21 million project has been fully funded by state and federal grants, and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2012.

DART officials have cited a number of reasons for the new facility to replace the existing Walnut Street Transit Mall as the central DART hub downtown:

• Safety: Rather than the current first-in, first-out configuration, which can be confusing to pedestrians, the facility will have designated bus lanes. It will also be designed to minimize areas where pedestrian and bus traffic cross paths.

• Customer service: Canopies outside the bus bays will shield waiting passengers from the elements. The hub will include potential retail space for a cafe or coffeehouse, and digital signs will be placed inside the hub to give riders real-time information on where their bus is.

• Environmental: Officials expect the hub to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification for its sustainability features. The facility will have geothermal power and solar panels.