Cherriots paid $5.5 million for a 5.47-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Commercial Street SE and Wiltsey Road SE, the transit agency's biggest step yet toward building a dedicated hub in South Salem.

The land purchase, reported by the Statesman Journal on July 16, clears the way for a new transit center that will add bus bays, a public plaza, EV charging infrastructure, and secure bike facilities to an area that has never had its own transit hub.

More than $10 million in combined federal and state funding backs the project, though a full breakdown has not been released. The federal share includes $3 million secured by U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, who toured the Keizer Transit Center on March 20 when the funding was announced.

"South Salem is one of the fastest-growing parts of our region, yet it still lacks a dedicated transit hub," Cherriots Board President Maria Hinojos Pressey said in a March 2026 press release announcing the federal funding. "The South Salem Transit Center will give people in South Salem a new option to commute, making it easier and simpler for riders who depend on us every day."

The new center will complement Cherriots' existing Downtown Transit Center at Courthouse Square, which opened in 2000 and was remodeled in 2014, and the newer Keizer Transit Center.

Together, the three hubs are meant to improve connections across the 28-route system that carries roughly 20,000 riders on weekdays.

With the land deal closed, Cherriots has said design work comes next. No construction start date has been announced.

The Keizer Transit Center, which Cherriots has pointed to as a model for the South Salem project, features a green roof, solar panels, rain gardens, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

Why it matters for South Salem

Nearly 60% of Cherriots riders use the bus to get to work, according to the agency's 2025 customer survey. Ninety-two percent said they rely on Cherriots as their primary way to get around.

A dedicated hub at Commercial and Wiltsey would shorten transfer times for riders heading to jobs, medical appointments, and schools along the south corridor.

The $5.5 million land purchase accounts for a significant share of the project's known funding. The full project budget beyond the land cost has not been publicly itemized.

Residents can follow project updates at cherriots.org. No public hearing date for the design phase has been announced.