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Study recommends expansion of Washington County Transit headquarters; county pursuing federal grant funding
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Summary
An MPO-funded study found the county's transit facility at 1000 West Washington Street is at capacity and recommended a roughly 27,000-square-foot addition, indoor vehicle storage and site consolidation to meet growth to 2050. Staff said the county and partners are pursuing federal design and construction funding.
A study paid for by the Hagerstown Eastern Panhandle Metropolitan Planning Organization recommends expanding Washington County Transit's headquarters and maintenance facility at 1000 West Washington Street to meet projected needs through 2050, county officials told commissioners during an informational presentation.
"The current admin and maintenance facility ... was acquired by the county in 1974, was last renovated in 2009, and is at full capacity," Andrew Eshelman, director of public works, told the board. He said the study provided a conceptual design and site layout for future expansion and served as the basis for a federal BUILD grant application that the county and MPO have pursued.
Consultant Troy Truex of Michael Baker International summarized the study's findings, saying it evaluated the roughly 1.7-acre parcel that serves as transit headquarters (a reuse of a former Chevrolet dealership) and assessed needs based on the transit development plan and anticipated ridership growth to 2050. "The study was conducted to evaluate the approximately about 1.7 acre parcel at 1000 West Washington Street, which is the headquarters for Washington County transit," Truex said. He added the study determined the constrained site cannot accommodate needed administrative, training and maintenance space and proposed an alternative that includes an additional building of about 27,000 square feet to provide indoor storage and maintenance capacity.
The presentation identified site constraints including undersized office and conference space, outdoor storage of vehicles that complicates maintenance and asset management, limited on-site fueling and washing facilities, and a public alleyway that previously divided the site. Presenters said the county obtained a quitclaim to a portion of that alley and that "the deed is in hand"; they said a lot consolidation plan is complete and pending recordation. Truex noted that, from an FTA perspective, the prior bus movements across the alley presented safety and operational concerns.
Staff said the study documents current and future space needs, shows a conceptual site layout (including proposed green stormwater management areas) and identifies next steps: record lot consolidation, continue coordinating with partners (MPO and Maryland Transit Administration) on funding and pursue design and construction funds if BUILD or other federal grants are awarded. Truex said, "we were anticipating that June 28 would be the notification of of award, but, talking with Matt again this morning, we're not hopeful that the DC will actually come out with any award announcements at that time. But we're still hopeful."
The study, along with attachments and supporting documentation, is available on the HEP MPO website, presenters said. Commissioners received the item for informational purposes and did not take formal action during the presentation.
Key recommendations and next steps from the study include advancing preliminary engineering and full design if federal funding is secured, recording the lot consolidation to enable the proposed site plan, and continuing to seek federal and state funding to support construction and equipment needs.
