San Luis Obispo RTA secures $13 million loan for new bus facility

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau has provided a $13.08 million loan to the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in California.

The San Luis Obispo RTA manages several local and express fixed-route transit lines, as well as several paratransit and dial-a-ride services throughout San Luis Obispo County. The RTA’s current administration, operations, and bus maintenance facility has become inadequate to efficiently support the RTA’s fleet of more than 90 vehicles.

The RTA decided to construct a facility large enough to accommodate their current vehicle fleet and allow room for future expansion.

The new facility will be located along US Highway 101 at the northbound Prado St. exit. It will house transit operations, administration, dispatch, and vehicle maintenance. This includes bus parking for much of the RTA fleet and the site will also allow for future inclusion of battery electric bus chargers and a solar canopy.

Once complete, the project will provide the RTA with a 28,650-sq.-ft. facility on 6.44-acres of land – a facility three times larger than the current space.

Construction is expected to be completed by December 2021. San Luis Obispo based Specialty Construction was awarded the construction contract.