Officials working on plans for $1 million transfer facility

By BLAKE STOWERS Bluefield Daily Telegraph Oct 11, 2017

BLUEFIELD — Officials are working on the preliminary plans for a $1 million state of the art transfer facility to be used by multiple transportation agencies within the city of Bluefield.  

According to City Manager Dane Rideout, the new facility will be built in the area beside the Wade Center on Bluefield Avenue. 

“We’ve received a grant from the Shott Foundation that has allowed us to do a matching grant with the federal government,” Rideout said. 

Rideout said officials wanted a central place inside the city where Greyhound, Bluefield Area Transit, and Graham Transit could all use the facility. 

“A place where the drivers could stop and use the facilities,” Rideout said. “A place where people could change over bus systems, get out of the elements, have bathrooms, a clean safe, well lit environment. We wanted a place that was heated and had good lighting. We went after a grant, the federal government loves it. We’re going to build a new state of the art transfer facility for public transportation on the avenue. And the awesome thing about it is, as we received grant monies, we’re going to build a million dollar facility, and it’s going to cost the tax payers, little to nothing.” 
According to Rideout the former Bluefield Intermodal Center idea, sparked the idea behind this facility. “Not as grand a scale, but it will meet all the same intents,” Rideout said.

Rideout said the city will do stormwater work on the project. “We’ll do some stormwater work, again vision,” Rideout said. “You have a Bluefield Area Transit Director that saw a need, and went after other people’s monies if you will, that’s going to provide an amenity and an area for our residents to improve the area in which we’re living. Fix the storm water and then put a state of the art facility. The hold up was waiting for the federal government’s fiscal year to start. Their fiscal year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. We have our matching monies from the Shott Foundation. Federal governments now working through it.”

On Tuesday, the Bluefield City Board approved $11,000 to be used for the Applied Research and Technology (CART) Proposal Phase II. “Today’s piece is moving that forward,” Rideout said. “This is the premilary engineering report that’s part of the product that goes through so the federal government can start getting bids from contractors and stuff like that. It was part of the grant monies.”

According to Rideout, the new facility will be approximately 30 feet wide and 60 feet long, located on a 175 feet by 150 feet lot owned by the City of Bluefield.

“And will include a passenger waiting room, restrooms, a driver break room, and covered passenger loading and unloading areas,” Rideout said. “The facility is designed to accommodate for future growth of the Bluefield Area Transit. The building will be constructed with a pre-engineered steel building frame, standing seam metal roof panels, and metal panel, masonry, and glass exterior storefront curtain walls placed on a concrete slab-on-grade foundation. The building will be used as a transfer point for the Bluefield Area Transit buses. The expected method of procurement will be made possible through grant funding, local matching funds, and in-kind contributions.”

Contact:  BLAKE STOWERS Bluefield Daily Telegraph Oct 11, 2017

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