Much of the work on the exterior of the St. Ignace bus terminal on US-2 and Church Street has been completed. Construction on the outside of the bus terminal, which began in January on the corner of US-2 and Church Street in St. Ignace, is nearly complete, supervisor Chris Richter said Monday, June 22.

Cole Incorporated, which has handled the construction of the building, is finishing the stonework on the pillars of the terminal. The roof of the terminal is nearly complete, with only the trim remaining to be added.

A durable "sandwich panel" made of plastic will be added just above the entrance within two to three weeks, he said. The panel will be installed to make the terminal more energy efficient. The panel is large enough to allow enough light in during the morning and afternoon hours to reduce the need for electrical lighting, Mr. Richter said.

He expects to start road paving next week, along with the flooring of the terminal itself. Groundwork has been laid for the canopy the buses will park underneath overnight. The area surrounding the terminal is also being prepared for landscaping.

Construction should be complete by July 15, with as many as 23 workers on-site some days to meet the deadline.

"It's fantastic to see the progress made," Mr. Richter said.

Inside the building, passengers will have access to the ticket termi- nal, vending machines, bathrooms, and a heated waiting area.

In addition to providing bus service to the public, the terminal will serve as a rest area for bus drivers. The building will have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen area, and flat panel televisions with satellite television for the bus drivers.

The terminal will be operated by Indian Trails. St. Ignace City Manager Eric Dodson expects the terminal to be operational by the end of August.

The $1.3 million terminal was paid with state and federal grants.