Nevada agency opens new LEED-certified transit center

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) celebrated the completion of the Bonneville Transit Center on Monday. The facility is located in downtown Las Vegas and will serve as the central hub for the RTC's transit services, including the Strip & Downtown Express, the Deuce on the Strip, Centennial Express, MAX and 12 other routes.

The 20,000-square-foot facility features 16 on-site vehicle bays, preferred parking for hybrid vehicles and on-site bicycle storage and repairs. Nearly 100 bikes can be stored at the center. Bicycle storage and access to lockers and showers will be available for a fee.

The Bonneville Transit Center was funded in part with $5.5 million in funding from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More than 1,200 laborers, electricians, laborers and landscapers worked on the project during its construction.

The facility was developed with a commitment to sustainability and is designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. It features photovoltaic solar panels that will generate nearly 50 percent of the electricity for the facility.

Transit routes will begin operating at the new facility on Nov. 7. The RTC's routes and schedules will change on that date, as well.