YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Western Reserve Transit Authority on Monday broke ground on its long-awaited $6.5 million modern bus barn – an investment that stakeholders say places the transportation system at the leading edge of technological innovation and advancement.
“The main feature is that it will have charging stations for up to 20 EV buses,” said Dean Harris, WRTA executive director. “Everything will be updated with current technology.”
Harris said the project has been on WRTA’s radar for nearly seven years and requires demolition of the century-old existing garage at 604 Mahoning Ave., near downtown. The new facility will be twice the size of the original building, he said.
Simultaneously, improvements such as a new facade are slated for Bus Barn B, which houses WRTA’s larger passenger buses, he said.
“We should start construction next week or so,” Harris said. “They expect to have it done by January or February of next year.”
The project includes the installation of 10 EV charging stations – each station is able to serve two vehicles – and is enough to accommodate the eight new electric-powered buses that should be delivered by the first quarter of next year, Harris said. Five additional EV buses are on order for 2027, he added.
He said portions of the current annex date to approximately 100 years old, while an additional renovation and expansion occurred during the early 1970s. The maintenance and upkeep to the existing building have become exceedingly costly, while the facility is inadequate to meet the operational needs of modern transit systems.
At present, WRTA operates five smaller EV vans in its fleet, as well as an autonomous EV shuttle. The autonomous shuttle service will run to the end of the year and will not be renewed, Harris said. “This was a demo project and just a test to see how it works,” he said. The autonomous feature will then be removed and the shuttle placed into WRTA’s fleet.
Olsavsky Jaminet Architects, Youngstown, designed the new bus barn project for WRTA, and Murphy Contracting Co., Youngstown, serves as the general contractor.
“The action is really happening underground,” said Ray Jaminet Jr., vice president of Olsavsky Jaminet. Approximately 1 mile of electrical conduit will be installed to support the new facility’s operations. The building will be a brick structure that includes solar panels on its roof.
“We are growing to ensure everything around us grows and that we have a reliable transportation system,” said Anthony Stratis, president of the WRTA Board of Trustees. A sustainable regional transit system, he added, is integral to the Mahoning Valley’s economy, as patrons use the service to travel to and from work, medical appointments and everyday destinations such as grocery stores. More importantly, the service is free, he emphasized.
Stratis said WRTA continues to be at the forefront of innovation.
“We want to be that catalyst for growth that signals to the outside world – invest, bring your people here,” Startis said. “The Mahoning Valley’s best days are ahead.”
Pictured at top: Dean Harris and Anthony Stratis.