In 2002 the port city of Erie, PA changed the face of local transportation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the opening of a shiny new transportation hub on its popular bayfront at the Holland Street Pier.

The facility came with a price tag of around $8 million, about 80% of which was funded by the Federal Transit Administration. Regarding the structure’s design, “The building’s circular shape symbolizes both a wheel and a compass,” according to architectural website https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/PA-01-ER9. It further states, “Curved windows and bay views accentuate the openness of the building.”

Other local landmarks near the transportation center are the Blasco Library, Erie’s Maritime Museum, the dock at Dobbins Landing, and the Brig Niagara. To celebrate the Intermodal Center’s opening, a gala event was held with a program that featured guest speakers, information-sharing, refreshments and a time capsule commemoration. Local advertising agency Ad Ventures was there covering this 2002 event, and captured these images on one of the first digital cameras on the market.

The photo below shows what the bayfront transportation complex looked like as of 2002.

Over the past 20 years, some local travelers who took a Greyhound bus out of Erie at night found the bayfront station to be a relaxing environment. “We liked the old location on W. 6th Street, but this is much nicer,” said one local woman. The intermodal is also a destination for the local bus line, the EMTA (Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority).

Speaking of commercial buses out of Erie, the local Greyhound line seems to have finally found its home here, after moving from Perry Square to upper Peach Street, then to the Intermodal Center.

In case you ever contemplated what sort of items are placed inside of time capsules, this tabletop presentation should give a fair idea. Wonder what folks in the future will think of the cute little model bus.