Project: AppalCART Maintenance and Operations Facility

City: Boone

State: North Carolina

ARRA Award Amount: $5.5 Million

Program: Non-Urbanized Area Formula

Description:

AppalCART received $5.5 million as part of a $25 million grant to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. AppalCART’s system has grown tremendously since its inception in 1982. They have been in a County Facility, which was deeded to the transit system in 1984. Since that time, they have grown from a fleet of four vehicles to over 30 vehicles. AppalCART is also unique in that it is a 5311 operator that runs a very successful fixed route system, due largely in part to its partnership and ridership from Appalachian State University. Ridership on the fixed route has increased 18 percent and on its paratransit route, 37 percent.

AppalCART was in need of a larger operations facility and has been planning such facility since 2003. The availability of ARRA funding allowed AppalCART to immediately begin construction of this facility. The facility is on a five-acre site and is expected to be 23,000 square feet. It will house administrative offices, dispatching, nine bus bays, and a state-of-art drive-through bus wash bay. For the first time, AppalCART will be able to accommodate its 35-feet vehicles and pull them all the way through the facility. The project sponsor intends to pursue Silver LEED accreditation for the facility, which has several sustainability features including:

• Solar Panel Collection/Passive Solar
• Water reclamation
• LEED-Certified UV Windows
• Radiant floor heat

Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2010, barring inclement weather which could delay the construction schedule.