WA: Skagit Transit celebrates milestone for new facility

Completion of Phase 1 of Skagit Transit’s new maintenance, operations and administration facility was celebrated Monday.

Stepping inside the cavernous 74,602-square-foot facility revealed the amount of work to be completed in Phases 2, 3 and 4 as the building continues its metamorphosis from a FedEx facility into Skagit Transit’s new headquarters.

“This is what we need to meet the needs of the public and to be able to grow,” Skagit Transit CEO Crystle Stidham said.

Those attending the celebration heard remarks about the project’s path from its start in 2015 from the likes of Stidham, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, Skagit County Commissioner Peter Browning, Mount Vernon Mayor Peter Donovan and Anacortes Mayor Matt Miller.

Browning, Donovan and Miller sit on Skagit Transit’s Board of Directors.

“This is a monumental event for us,” Stidham said. “My predecessor began the process of building this facility back in 2015, nearly 10 years ago. … Phase 1 was supposed to be only a six-month project.

“So here we are, two years after this phase was supposed to be complete, so this is definitely a cause for celebration. The outside of this building is beautiful, but there is still a lot to do.”

Browning remarked the building is fantastic, but is just the start of something big.

“It’s going to lead to a lot better usage of the transit system and a lot more appropriate usage of the transit system,” he said. “... Right now, we are very, very happy with the direction we are going and this is what is going to set us up for the next phase.”

Donovan said he’d been thinking a lot about this project as Skagit County’s population continues to grown. He said the infrastructure needs to grow, too.

“As I have heard Representative Rick Larsen say on a couple of occasions, that you can’t have a big league economy, which is what we want in Skagit County, with little league infrastructure,” Donovan said. “He is right. You also can’t have a strong public transit system without the necessary support systems in place.”

Donovan said transportation infrastructure translates to stronger commerce, and stronger commerce translates into more jobs for Skagitonians.

“Today marks a significant milestone not just for Skagit Transit, but for our entire community,” Miller said. “The completion of (this phase) stands as a testament of what can be achieved through collaboration and a shared vision for the future.

“Despite delays and fiscal challenges, we remain committed to seeing this project through because we understand the importance of this new facility.”

Larsen was touted as being instrumental in securing federal money for the project and for his support of other such projects in Skagit County.

The mayors, and others in attendance, thanked him on behalf of their respective cities and their residents.

“Every day is infrastructure day in Skagit County,” Larsen said. “So congratulations on completing Phase 1 of this project to build a better maintenance, operations and administration facility here in Burlington for the entire county.

“Thanks to your vision, hard work and in part to federal funding, you are one step closer to delivering on your goal of enhancing this region’s existing and future transportation needs.”

Phases 2 and 3 will involve renovating the facility’s interior to support public transit operations and the maintenance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. It will also be equipped with electric vehicle charging stations for employees, fleet and public vehicles.

Phase 4 includes the construction of a solar array atop an adjacent building and another atop an open-air bus canopy on an adjacent parcel as green energy goals continue to be met.

The projected total cost of the project is about $49 million, with Phase I coming in at about $6 million.

With necessary grant funding having been secured, Stidham is hopeful to go out for bid on Phase 2 in the middle of 2025, and said there is a possibility Phase 3 could also begin at that time depending on funding.

Skagit Transit’s current Burlington facility does not allow for infrastructure upgrades necessary for new technology, severely limiting the transition to zero emissions vehicles. It also does not allow for the necessary growth to meet expanding service needs.

Skagit Transit has a service area of 750 square miles within the county and a vehicle fleet of 142.

“Again, we had to overcome lots of delays, but we are so grateful this phase is finally done,” Stidham said. “It looks beautiful on the outside and we can’t wait to get into this building so we can grow and begin to implement our transition into our zero-emissions vehicles.”

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