OH-2024-027↗

APPLICATION PURPOSE: METRO RTA IS REQUESTING FUNDS TO BUILD A NEW LEED-CERTIFIED MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FACILITY. THE PROJECT WILL MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONAL NEEDS BY PROVIDING ADEQUATE FACILITIES TO MAINTAIN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES OF METROS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS. IT WILL SUPPORT METROS CURRENT FLEET OF 229 REVENUE VEHICLES AND 22 SUPPORT VEHICLES AS WELL AS UP TO 330 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT STAFF. THE EXISTING FACILITY BUILT IN 1984 WAS SIZED TO MAINTAIN 90 35FOOT BUSES AND 50 DEMAND RESPONSE VEHICLES. A FACILITIES ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIED THE CURRENT FACILITY AS OUTMODED UNDERSIZED AND HAVING SURPASSED ITS USEFUL LIFE. THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF A 107138 SF STEEL-FRAMED STRUCTURE WITH TWO FUNCTIONAL AREAS (OPERATIONS AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE) VISITOR AND EMPLOYEE PARKING LOTS AND A CDL TRAINING PAD.; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: ALL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES EXCLUDING ARCHITECTURE FEES.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FACILITY WAS NAMED IN METROS 2020 STRATEGIC PLAN AS THE AGENCYS HIGHEST PRIORITY FACILITY INVESTMENT. HAVING OUTGROWN OUR EXISTING FACILITY THIS PROJECT ALLOWS METRO TO MAINTAIN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR CREATE EFFICIENCIES IN OUR OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE SPACE TO ADAPT AND GROW INTO NEW SERVICE MODELS AND TECHNOLOGIES. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE TWO MAIN FUNCTIONAL AREAS: OPERATIONS AND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. THE OPERATIONS AREA WILL INCLUDE A COMBINED DISPATCH CENTER OPERATOR DAYROOM FITNESS CENTER KITCHEN LOCKER ROOM TRAINING ROOM AND OFFICE SPACE. THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AREA WILL INCLUDE A PARTS ROOM TIRE STORAGE BODY SHOP PAINT BOOTH AND 28 MAINTENANCE BAYS. A COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE TRAINING PAD WILL ALSO BE CONSTRUCTED ON SITE.SAFETY WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MAJOR CORNERSTONE OF THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT STAGE. THE FACILITY MAXIMIZES THE ABILITY FOR VEHICLES TO PULL-THROUGH MAINTENANCE BAYS REDUCING THE NEED FOR REVERSE OPERATIONS AND THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS WITH PEOPLE OTHER VEHICLES AND FIXED OBJECTS. OTHER DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR SAFETY INCLUDED; FALL PROTECTION OVER VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BAYS COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS DETECTION FIRE SUPPRESSION PROPER STORAGE EQUIPMENT FOR FLUIDS PAINTS AND OTHER POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AS WELL AS ADEQUATE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR INVENTORY STORAGE. ADDITIONALLY A COVERED WALKWAY WILL PROVIDE FOR SAFE PASSAGE FOR THE OPERATORS WALKING FROM THE NEW DAYROOM TO THE EXISTING BUS STORAGE STRUCTURES. DESIGN ELEMENTS FOR SECURITY INCLUDE CCTVS ACCESS CONTROL VIDEO INTERCOMS AND INTRUSION DETECTION. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM BOTH THE FACILITY ITSELF AS WELL AS THE CONDITION OF THE FLEET. THE EXISTING BUILDING HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE. CONSTRUCTION OF A LEED-CERTIFIED NEW FACILITY WILL BRING METROS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FUNCTIONS INTO A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND CREATE FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCIES THAT WILL IN TURN IMPROVE THE CONDITION AND RELIABILITY OF METROS FLEET. THE NUMBER OF MAINTENANCE BAYS WILL INCREASE FROM 13 IN THE EXISTING FACILITY TO 28 IN THE NEW FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY EFFICIENCIES GAINED IN THE REDUCTION OF MOVEMENT OF BUSES BETWEEN MAINTENANCE BAYS WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MILES BETWEEN MECHANICAL FAILURES AND INCREASING SERVICE RELIABILITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. THE DESIGNED CAPACITY OF THE FACILITY WILL ALLOW BUSES TO STAY IN ONE LOCATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE TIME THEY ARE DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE ALLOWING FOR INCREASED SCHEDULED PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND MAINTAINING A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR FOR ALL ROLLING STOCK. ACCESS AND MOBILITY WILL ALSO BE ENHANCED THROUGH THE NEW COMBINED DISPATCH FACILITY. AS WE INTEGRATE OUR FIXED-ROUTE AND DEMAND-RESPONSE SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH METROS STRATEGIC PLAN WE WILL NEED TO COMBINE OFFICE SPACES TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND SECURELY AND PROVIDE STREAMLINED CUSTOMER-CENTRIC SERVICE. THIS CUSTOMER-CENTRIC SERVICE STRATEGY WILL GIVE US THE TOOLS TO BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH ENHANCED MOBILITY AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY. IN SUMMIT COUNTY JOB GROWTH HAS OCCURRED IN AREAS OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE WHERE FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE IS NOT A GREAT FIT. FINDING ADAPTIVE WAYS TO CONNECT THOSE LOOKING FOR WORK WITH AREAS OF HIGH-JOB GROWTH IS PRECISELY WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THIS NEW DISPATCHING CAPABILITY.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: IN THE IMMEDIATE PROJECT AREA THE FACILITY REVITALIZES A BROWNFIELD AND PROVIDES NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS FOR METRO TO CONTINUE MOVE TO A FULLY LOW/NO EMISSIONS FLEET REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS TO THE DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY WHERE THE PROJECT IS LOCATED. HOWEVER THE BENEFITS EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE PROJECT AREA AS IT ALLOWS METRO TO MAINTAIN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE/EXPAND BUS SERVICE IN SUMMIT COUNTY. RATHER THE BENEFITS REACH ALL AREAS METRO PROVIDES SERVICE INCLUDING ALL 36 DISADVANTAGED CENSUS TRACTS IN THE COUNTY.THE PROJECT ALLOWS METRO TO IMPLEMENT/EXPAND ON THE REIMAGINE METRO INITIATIVE THAT INCREASES JOB ACCESS VIA TRANSIT BY 104% FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND 89% FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT WAS CONDUCTED THROUGH 1) MPOS TIP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND 2) THROUGH THE EXTENSIVE OUTREACH EFFORTS OF METROS STRATEGIC PLAN. INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IS DEMONSTRATED BY THEIR SUPPORT LETTERS. THE DOTS TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED CENSUS TRACTS TOOL WAS USED TO CONFIRM THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY (CENSUS TRACT 5056 SUMMIT CTY). IN ADDITION THE FACILITY WILL SUPPORT METROS ALTERNATIVE-FUEL BUS SERVICE THROUGHOUT SUMMIT COUNTY. THE 36 DISADVANTAGED CENSUS TRACTS IN THE COUNTY ARE CONCENTRATED IN THE DENSE AREAS IN/NEAR AKRON AS THIS IS WHERE A MAJORITY OF METROS BUS SERVICE IS FOCUSED.SECONDARILY METROS 2020 ON-BOARD SURVEY PROVIDES DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FOR OUR RIDERS. 68% OF RIDERS LIVE IN A ZERO-CAR HOUSEHOLD (HH) AND 65% HAVE A HH INCOME OF 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL FOR A 2-PERSON HH (INCREASING TO 77% FOR A 4-PERSON HH).FINALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ANALYSIS DONE FOR THE CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION DOCUMENT FOR THE PROJECT DETERMINED NO DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH/ADVERSE HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ON LOWINCOME AND MINORITY POPULATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: NONE

Project Grant (B) · Federal Transit Administration · to Metro Regional Transit Authority (UEI KB21JNPWJB79) · data as of 2026-09-30

Source: USAspending.gov prime award transactions and FSRS subaward reports, as loaded by SpendQuery (data as of 2026-09-30). Amounts are obligations (money committed), not outlays. The official record on USAspending.gov ↗