Construction will soon be underway for the new Cowichan Valley Transit Maintenance and Operations Facility at 5271 Boal Road in Duncan. When complete, the 4.5 acre site will include parking for up to 50 buses with the ability to expand in the future. The site will also include three vehicle maintenance bays, administrative space and onsite bus washing and fueling facilities.

Representatives from the Province of B.C. and the Cowichan Valley Regional District joined members of BC Transit’s senior leadership team today for the ceremonial groundbreaking on the site of the new transit and operations facility to be built at the intersection of Boal Road and Polkey Road.

Since 2000, Cowichan Valley Transit System ridership has risen over 140 percent. The Project is part of the larger Cowichan Valley Transit Future Plan that aims to make transit a reliable alternative to personal vehicles, reduce the community’s impact on the environment and improve transit efficiency. The existing operations and maintenance facilities are at capacity and are spread out over three locations. The new facility will help support the increasing popularity of sustainable public transportation in the region.

In addition to the improved operational functions of the new facility, the building design will accommodate future infrastructure upgrades required for alternative fleet technologies such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric buses.

This $16.2 million project was first announced in 2016 as part of the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF), from which approximately 83 per cent of construction costs are being provided by the Federal Government and the Province of B.C. The remaining construction costs will be covered by the Cowichan Valley Regional District, while land and other costs not eligible for PTIF funding will be shared by the Province of B.C. and the Cowichan Valley Regional District.

Contracts have been awarded for project works, with more to follow in the coming months. Project completion is scheduled for Winter 2019.