PCL Construction broke ground on a $274 million bus rapid transit terminal, Sound Transit announced on Aug. 12. It’s a key part of a new three-line system that will link communities around Lake Washington across from Seattle and is a major step toward the agency’s goal of carbon-free operations for facilities and fleets by 2050.
The 12.5-acre complex in Bothell, Washington, will serve as the operational heart of the upcoming Stride BRT program and house up to 120 articulated and double-decker buses, including its first battery-electric models, per the release. It will ensure Stride buses are stored, cleaned, fueled or charged and maintained.
Sound Transit's plan for Stride BRT is a fast, frequent and reliable bus service connecting to Link light rail and to communities north, east and south of Lake Washington, including Burien and Bellevue, Bellevue and Lynnwood, and from Shoreline to Bothell, per the project website. Battery electric buses will run every 10 to 15 minutes primarily using HOV and dedicated lanes.
Edmonton, Alberta-based PCL, with U.S. headquarters in Denver, has had a 25-year partnership with Sound Transit spanning more than 11 projects that have shaped infrastructure in the area, Andrew Fernandez, district manager for PCL Construction, said in the release.
“We’re excited to be part of a project that will improve mobility, create opportunity and deliver long-term benefits to the people of this region,” Fernandez said.
The project scope includes, according to PCL:
- Construction of an 18,000-square-foot administration and operations building, as well as a 78,500-square-foot maintenance facility equipped with specialized service bays for propulsion systems, electronics, inspections and tire work.
- A multi-level parking structure with dedicated space for bus storage on the first level and employee parking above, with integrated fueling, washing and support systems.
- Right-of-way improvements and new site access from 20th Ave. SE to accommodate increased transit activity.
The facilities will include space to accommodate future increases in fleet size, according to the release. Substantial completion is anticipated in 2027, with service slated to begin as early as 2028.
