On May 22 the city opened its new multi-modal transit station, a structure that is a destination point for residents heading to downtown Sunnyvale, and it's also a gateway to the rest of the county and the peninsula.

A stopping and starting point for residents using cars, trains, buses, bicycles and shuttles, the station incorporates a five-story, 400-car garage, a Caltrain ticket office, surface parking and a shuttle plaza. There are even electric car-charging stations in the garage.

The new transportation facility is located at 295 West Evelyn Ave., between Murphy and Mathilda.

By creating a convenient mass transit networking point for residents and commuters, the city officials believe Sunnyvale is also helping unclog Bay Area roads as well as helping to clean the air.

The station is a Santa Clara County 1996 Measure B project, jointly funded by the city of Sunnyvale, the county of Santa Clara, VTA, Caltrain and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Construction began in September 2001 and cost $11,400,000, $8.9 million of which was funded by 1996 Measure B.

VTA Board Chairwoman Jane Kennedy said, "Multi-modal transit centers are an important part of a balanced transportation network. They are the linking points that enable travelers to move between local and regional transit providers. The Sunnyvale station will play a key role in the region's transportation network."