Fort Bend County Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of New Public Transportation Facility
By Jay Srinivasan
On Jan. 28, Fort Bend County will celebrate the ribbon cutting of its new public transportation facility. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled at 10 a.m. at 3737 Bamore Road, Rosenberg, TX 77471.
The $21 million facility will serve as a one-stop shop for Fort Bend County’s transportation department, including its administrative, operations, maintenance, fuel depot and bus washing functions. The facility will also accommodate the County’s existing fleet of buses as well as future additions. It includes 18,600 square feet of office space, 28,400 square feet of maintenance bays, covered bus parking, a 7,100-square-foot fuel and washing station, a break area, relaxation lounge and kitchen spaces.
Fort Bend County is one of the fastest growing counties in Texas and the nation. Its rapid population and employment growth have increased traffic congestion considerably. To address this growth, in January 2011, the Fort Bend County completed a long-range transit plan. The plan includes several proposals to improve its existing bus and van services and expand its system for the next 25 years. The new transportation facility is a significant component of this plan.
In conjunction with a service provider, the County maintains a fleet of buses, 60 and growing, to serve the needs of the residents. Bus operations, including dispatching and maintenance, are provided by a private contractor while County staff provide reservation, scheduling and administrative activities. Over the past several years, the County has performed these functions from four different facilities in Sugar Land. The new facility will allow the County to combine its transportation functions into a single location for improved efficiency and service.
Engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) provided planning, engineering and design services for the new center while SpawGlass served as the contractor. Other firms involved in the project include RdlR Architects as the architect, Huitt Zollars as construction manager, Asakura Robinson as the landscape architect, and HDR | Maintenance Design Group for specialty equipment and systems. The Federal Transit Administration and Fort Bend County provided the funding for the $21 million project.
“The completion of the transportation facility marks another milestone toward achieving the County’s transportation vision,” said Jeff Thomas, LAN’s vice president. “By consolidating its operations, maintenance and administrative functions in a single location, the County will be able to more efficiently serve its customers while saving taxpayer dollars.”
“The Fort Bend County transportation facility is a major component to the ongoing betterment of the county’s public transit operations and SpawGlass is honored to have been selected to be a part of the project,” said Brandon Meyers, president of the Houston division for SpawGlass. “We’re proud to be able to help unveil this new, state-of-the-art, consolidated space that will reduce congestion throughout Fort Bend County for the benefit of individuals and families who reside here.”
