Pierce Transit has celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Spanaway Transit Center in Washington State.
The facility will serve as the southern terminus to extend the agency’s current route 1 and accommodate its first Stream Bus Rapid Transit line, which is currently in its design phase.
Spanaway Transit Center will be built in two phases, with phase 1 featuring a bus turnaround, a 38-car park & ride lot, a comfort station for bus drivers and a passenger drop-off area.
Phase 2 will increase parking to 250 stalls and add enhanced entrance and exit infrastructure.
The site’s location on Washington State Route 7 aims to improve access to transit in a region that is heavily car-dependent. It will improve access to downtown Tacoma while providing improved service in the Spanaway area.
“This transit centre will serve a low-income and high-minority area. According to the US Census, more than 11 percent of people in this area are living in poverty, compared to 9.4 percent across Pierce County; more than one-third of the population is minority, and nearly 12 percent have no vehicle at home. It is exciting – and the right thing to do – to put our resources into this community.”
The new transit centre is jointly funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and has received 3 million USD in federal support.
Phase 1 is expected to open to the public in late 2023 or early 2024. This will be Pierce Transit’s first new transit centre since 1998.
