Metro officials on Thursday began unveiling plans for upgrading its busiest center — the Government Square transfer point — in hopes of making it safer.

        Paul Jablonski, executive director of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which oversees Hamilton County's Metro bus service, said the proposed $8 million face-lift also would make downtown transit more efficient.

        “It's 25 years old and is beginning to deteriorate, and we need to make it compliant” with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Mr. Jablonski said. “And let's face it, it's a very congested area. This will help with that immensely.”

        The facility along the north side of Fifth Street between Walnut and Main streets is used for about 72 percent of all downtown Metro service.

        About 1,000 of Metro's approximately 1,600 daily bus trips use Government Square at some point. About 20,000 riders use Metro into downtown daily, although not all of them use Government Square.

        No funds are allocated, but Mr. Jablonski said the new plans give Metro something to show legislators. He said Metro is hoping to get as much as $6.4 million from federal bus and transit funds; the authority would apply to the state for much of the rest.

        If the funding can be secured, final design work could begin as soon as winter, meaning that construction could begin by late summer 2003. No projected completion date has been set, Mr. Jablonski said.

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