Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, Colorado’s second-largest transit agency, has announced the opening of a newly expanded maintenance facility.
The Glenwood Maintenance Facility will offer office space for operations and indoor heated storage for up to 60 buses – including four battery-electric bus charging stations and accommodations for expansion to hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.
Configured to meet growing population and ridership needs; the facility was initially designed to store and maintain 34 buses, but, as ridership grew (60% between 2002 and 2022), the agency deemed it necessary to implement a heated indoor facility in order to keep buses from idling outside in the cold.
The agency worked with Saunders Construction, as well as a Stantec design-build team, which led all architecture, design, engineering, and project management/construction services. The new facility will aim to address operational deficiencies and help the agency better accommodate public transportation needs, including expanding BRT and regional services.
Merlin Maley, Senior Principal for Stantec, said:The GMF expansion has been a critical project for the growing population of Pitkin and Garfield counties and the surrounding areas.
We are excited to see its doors open to the public and improve the reliability and efficiency of RFTA’s operations, while also reducing fossil fuel emissions.
