Granite, an American construction and materials company, has initiated the construction phase on the Atlantic Base Refurbishment (ABR) project in Seattle, Washington, with an investment of around $45m.
The project's goal is to update and improve the infrastructure of the six-acre electric trolley bus parking and maintenance facility operated by King County Metro (KCM).
King County Metro, the transit provider in the Northwestern US, offers extensive services including buses and light rail.
Atlantic Base is primarily used for bus maintenance, storage for up to 200 electric trolley buses, fuelling, and washing operations.
Granite regional operations vice-president Mike Stein said: "The general contractor/construction manager (GC/CM) project delivery method chosen by KCM has facilitated a collaborative environment, enabling all project stakeholders to work together effectively."
He added: "This partnership has successfully reached the Maximum Allowable Construction Cost (MACC) milestone, marking the transition from pre-construction to the construction phase."
The ABR project marks a significant move towards sustainable public transportation.
It positions KCM to become one of the first large transit agencies in North America to achieve a fully zero-emissions fleet by 2035 while significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The main goal of this project is a complete replacement of concrete paving and underground infrastructure in the bus storage yard. This includes storm drainage, sanitary sewer systems, industrial waste lines, buried power lines, natural gas lines, and fire water mains.
It will also involve the rehabilitation of underground storage tanks and an upgrade to the existing overhead catenary system to support KCM's expanding electric trolley fleet.
The project's execution will occur in multiple phases to ensure that KCM’s Atlantic Base operations remain uninterrupted.
The ABR project is set to begin in January 2025 and is expected to be completed by March 2027.
In September 2024, the company announced the receipt of a contract to construct new facilities at US Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz (MCCB).
