For Immediate Release
June 19, 2012

Contact: Jaime Walker
Town of Avon, Community Relations Officer
970-748-4087; jwalker@avon.org

Town of Avon breaks ground on I-70 Regional Transportation Operations Facility

Avon, CO— Last Tuesday, The Avon Town Council along with representatives from Eagle County, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA), as well as members of the public, project designers, and town staff celebrated the ground breaking of the I-70 Regional Transportation Operations Facility at Avon’s Swift Gulch transit facility; construction on this project begins this month.

“Reaching this point was the result of hard work, dedication and cooperation from Avon town staff, federal, state and local agencies, all who have become Avon’s partners in bringing this long term visions to fruition,” said Avon Mayor Rich Carroll.

The I-70 Regional Transportation Operations Facility allows the Town of Avon and ECO Transit to provide and support the growing transit needs of the community. The transit facility was contemplated in the Town’s Master Transportation Plan, which supports efforts to enhance regional transit services. The town saw an opportunity to apply for funding with both FTA and CDOT, and submitted a joint application with Eagle County to construct a regional transportation facility. The project is funded by the Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grant in the amount of $7.5 million, Federal Transit Administration Better Bus and Bus Facility Grant in the amount of $367,323, and this project is receiving $1.0 million in Colorado FASTER Transit funds through the Colorado Department of Transportation. The Town of Avon is also contributing $3 million.

This facility will be for two public transit agencies, Avon Transit and ECO Transit and will include indoor parking for 24 buses with outdoor parking for four more, a wash and service bay, money room, break room, and radio dispatch office. Changes to the site include paving for bus circulation, outdoor fueling for gasoline and diesel, and improved site lighting. The project is anticipated to be completed by the fall of 2013. It will replace the Town’s existing, degraded, and under-sized facility and is vital to the Town’s vision for a transit-oriented development land plan.

“Our hope is that this project helps us establish a long-term partnerships with multiple federal, state, and local agencies as well as solidify our commitment to provide efficient transit service in the Valley” said Mayor Carroll.

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