Centerra Loveland Mobility Station Now Open

Gov. Jared Polis, center left, takes a selfie with CDOT’s Kelly Smith, center, Tuesday during the grand opening for three mobility hubs along Interstate 25 at the Centerra Mobility Hub in Loveland. (Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

The three new mobility hubs along Interstate 25 in Northern Colorado aren’t just about easing commutes for Bustang riders, but also an important milestone in the state’s effort to expand mass transit options, Gov. Jared Polis said on Tuesday.

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Loveland Centerra hub on Kendall Parkway, the governor extolled the benefits of the unique infrastructure and the public-private partnerships that helped make it a reality.

People are framed by the opening of the tunnel under Interstate 25 during the grand opening of the Centerra Mobility Hub in Loveland on Tuesday. The even celebrated the opening of three hubs – Loveland, Berthoud and Longmont. (Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

“With the recent investments in state transit, it’s moving Colorado from 44th in transit funding to 22nd and now it’s time to deliver,” he said. “The mobility hubs are a key part of delivering on that future of more affordable and convenient living in our state. I’m so proud to get the chance to showcase what we’re doing, along with the support of historic federal funding.”

The hubs were constructed as part of the I-25 North Lanes Express Project, which broke ground in 2016. In addition to Loveland’s, there are also hubs at Colo. 56 in Berthoud and Co. 119 in Longmont.

Around 100 people gathered for the ceremony on Tuesday, including state legislators Janice Marchman, Kathy Kipp and Andrew Boeseneker, Loveland Mayor Pro-Tem Jon Mallo and Larimer County Commissioners Jody Shadduck-McNally and Kristin Stevens. There were also representatives from CDOT, Loveland transit (COLT), Loveland Public Works and the Centerra Metropolitan District, which spearheaded infrastructure improvements in and around the hub.

Also delivering remarks was the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, who echoed Polis in her praise of the hubs and the collaboration between her department and Colorado. She said the U.S. DOT has invested more than $860 million in the I-25 project and is “thrilled” to celebrate this important milestone.

“This is very much the kind of project that we’re prioritizing at the federal level,” she said. “By bringing express lanes, busses, mobility hubs, it will turn this highway into a component of a rapid transit system tied into housing development, hopefully reducing congestion and producing tremendous travel time savings and convenience for Coloradans.”

Taking a more local view was Mallo, who spoke about how much easier the new hub makes his frequent trips to Denver.

“I have three children and two grandbabies in Denver and we use the ‘Stang,’ as I call it, as often as we can,” he said, referring to CDOT’s Bustang buses, which stop at the hub.

Cory Schmitt, left, and Lisa Deaton, both with the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization, walk down a ramp after checking out the area where busses will drop off and pick up passengers on Interstate 25 during the grand opening of the Centerra Mobility Hub in Loveland. (Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

He went on to say that the extension of Kendall Parkway to the hub and the new 200-space parking lot serving it has made “much easier” to access Bustang.

Speaking for the other half of the private-public partnership was Kim Perry, vice president at McWhinney and president of the Centerra metro district, who called the Loveland hub a “labor of love.” Since 2016, she told the crowd, the district has invested more than $11 million in road and bridge construction adjacent to the hub as well as upgraded upgraded lighting and finishes in it.

“These projects are a great example of the power of collaboration between public and private partners working towards smart growth and a shared vision,” she said. “This was truly a team effort at the local and state and federal level.”

During the week, Bustang’s north line makes nine stops at the southbound half of the Loveland Centerra mobility hub, starting at 5:45 a.m. Northbound stops begin at 8:20 a.m.  There are four stops each way per day on weekends and holidays.

For more information about Bustang’s north line and its special event routes, including schedules and fares, visit ridebustang.com. For more information about how to get to the mobility hub using COLT, visit lovgov.org/COLT.