OPTION ONE: 11TH STREET

What: An "off-street" transit center in a privately owned parking lot at the northeast corner of 11th and Idaho streets. Valley Regional Transit likely would enter a public-private partnership to build the transit facility and parking garage with the property owner, Jim Tomlinson.

Cost to public: $6.5 million to $7.5 million.

Amenities: Bus parking/shelters/benches, public restrooms, operator break facility, retail space, bicycle parking, taxi stand, transit information, public art, parking.

Size: 38,700-square-foot lot.

Current amenities lost: None.

Current traffic count: About 4,000 vehicles a day. Buses would add about 250 trips daily.

Opposition is coming from: The company that owns Boise Plaza, the old Boise Cascade building and surrounding lots.

OPTION TWO: 10TH STREET

What: An "in-street" transit center along the public sidewalks and on 10th Street between Main and Bannock streets could restrict two lanes of 10th Street to buses only, but still allow cars to travel down the middle two lanes. For indoor amenities, Valley Regional Transit would need to lease about 4,500 square feet of existing building space, possibly in the Empire Building owned by Tomlinson.

Cost to public: $2.5 million to $3 million.

Amenities: Bus parking/shelters/benches, public restrooms, operator break facility, bicycle parking, taxi stand, transit information, public art.

Size: 54,000 square feet, nearly all of it within the public right-of-way.

Current amenities lost: Bike lanes, daytime parking on both sides of 10th between Main and Bannock.

Current traffic count: About 4,000 vehicles a day. Buses would add about 250 trips daily.

Opposition is coming from: Several business owners along 10th Street.

WHO WILL MAKE THE DECISION?

Three agencies:

® Valley Regional Transit, which will own and operate the center.

® Federal Transit Administration, which is administering the $9.5 million federal earmark being used to pay for it.

® Ada County Highway District, which controls Downtown Boise roads.

The Capital City Development Corp. and the Boise City Council will match the earmark with $2 million, and both will exert influence over the decision.

HOW DO I HAVE MY SAY?

Citizens will not have a chance to voice their opinion before Valley Regional Transit board members. The transit agency's policy requires public hearings for bus fare increases, bus service changes and budget setting only, spokesman Mark Carnopis said, but not this.

You can still view materials and comment at an informational open house Wednesday.

But even though Boise City Council will not make the final decision, city leaders are holding their own public hearing March 10.

"We feel it is important to allow the public an opportunity to testify on either site," said city spokesman Adam Park. The city will forward the comments it receives to Valley Regional Transit.

Plus, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter serves on Valley Regional Transit's board.

"We will have significant say over the siting of this project when all is said and done," Park said.

WHERE DO I SEND MY COMMENTS?

® Boise City Council E-mail: mayorandcouncil@ cityofboise.org; mayor's hotline: 384-4404, fax: 384-4420; address: 150 N. Capitol Blvd., Boise, ID 83702.

® Valley Regional Transit E-mail: mcarnopis@ valleyregionaltransit.org or kfairless@valleyregionaltransit.org; phone: 846-8547; address: 830 N. Main St., Suite 230, Meridian, ID 83642.

IMPORTANT DATES AHEAD

® Wednesday: Valley Regional Transit public open house, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Owyhee Plaza Hotel, 1109 Main St.

® Monday: The Downtown Policy Advisory Committee, the transit center steering committee, meets 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Capital City Development Corp. office, 121 N. 9th St., Suite 501. The meeting is open to the public.

® March 10: Boise City Council public hearing on the transit center, 6 p.m., City Hall, third floor, 150 N. Capitol Blvd.

® March 11: Valley Regional Transit Management Committee, 3 p.m., Ada County Courthouse, Room 3134, 200 W. Front St., Downtown Boise. The committee may discuss the transit center, but it will not vote on the location. The meeting is open to the public.

® March 18: Valley Regional Transit board of directors, 2:30 p.m., Meridian City Hall, 33 E. Broadway Ave. The agency can vote any time on or after March 18, the end of the federally required two-week public comment period. No public hearing, but the meeting is open to the public.

Cynthia Sewell