Texas’ Fort Bend County cut the ribbon on its new public transportation facility.

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.