San Diego MTS investing $54M to rebuild bus facilities

San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) announced major construction milestones on the complete renovation of two bus operations and maintenance facilities in the San Diego region: the completion of a $30 million facility in the South Bay and groundbreaking on a $24 million facility in East County.

“These facilities are crucial to our efficiency,” said Paul Jablonski, CEO of MTS. “They are in the heart of two of our most transit-rich service territories. The renovation and expansion will allow us to increase capacity and substantially improve the work environment.”

The South Bay Maintenance Facility has been expanded to 10.6 acres and now includes a 14,000-square-foot administration and operations building and a new 48,000-square-foot maintenance building. The facility will house 250 buses by 2017 after another nearby facility’s operations are moved there and new South Bay Bus Rapid Transit buses begin operations.

The project also includes expanded CNG fueling stations, additional bus parking and a high-capacity bus wash capable of cleaning 250 buses every night. The two-story administrative and operations offices will host dispatching functions, administrative and driver support areas, and was built to California Green Building code and is certified as LEED Silver.

The East County Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility will break ground in October and will include a new 34,000-square-foot high-bay maintenance building with a 10,275-square-foot mezzanine and second floor areas. The facility will sit on a 5.5-acre parcel and accommodate 120 buses; four open service bays for 40-foot buses; four service bays for articulated buses; and amenities such as a chassis wash bay, parts and fluid storage, workshops, staff support areas and electrical rooms.

The building is being planned for LEED Silver status. Construction of the East County Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility is expected to be complete by June 2016.