AT THE TRANSPORTATION CENTER
- Click on the artwork to learn more about each piece
Welcome to the Northrup-Abrams Transportation Center
The MTA’s role as a public transportation provider in the City of Flint and in Genesee County is an important one. With over 17,000 people a day using the transit center to get to various locations in and out of the county, the MTA Northrup-Abrams Transportation Center plays a key role in the lives of Genesee County residents.
When plans were being made to redevelop the City of Flint, the decision was made to transition the Northrup-Abrams Transportation Center into a community facility. It was decided to concentrate on the facility being a memorial for civil rights through artwork that would showcase important periods in the history of civil rights and celebrate the men and women who made a difference in the fight for equality. This led the MTA to include a request for funding for art as part of the $6 million program to renovate the facility. The MTA commissioned art for the downtown facility as part of the overall community effort to attract individuals from all over the state to come to downtown Flint as a destination.
Funds for the “Art in Transit” Program came from State and Federal discretionary grants. These grant funds were restricted for use on the artwork and could not be used for other transit purposes. No local Genesee County tax dollars were spent on the program. The artwork was created by Michigan artists, most of whom are from the area.
The MTA contracted with the Greater Flint Arts Council (GFAC) and established a committee to act as a facilitator for this program. Through much time and effort by the group, nineteen different forms of media were created, including a sculpture of civil rights pioneer, Rosa Parks, two mosaic tiles and fourteen stained glass windows which showcase pivotal moments in civil rights history.
