GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO — The design-build team of Stantec and Saunders Construction recently completed work on the $68 million Glenwood Springs Maintenance Facility (GMF) for the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA). Together, the firms led the design-build services including architecture; industrial architecture; sustainable design; interior design; lighting design; fueling design (diesel, CNG, and hydrogen ready); mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering; and project management/construction (Saunders).

This expanded GMF now provides indoor heated storage for 60 buses and a 9,000-square-foot second level operations space with a dispatch suite, reception area for visitors, drivers’ room, office space, and locker rooms. It also includes an additional fuel and wash lane to their existing facility. The design of the facility aims to integrate functionality, sustainability, and user experience through natural lighting and climate-controlled spaces, while blending the facility into the colors of the surrounding mountains. The facility includes four battery electric bus charging stations and was designed to accommodate expansion to hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.

Necessary site improvements were carefully designed and built to address the mountainous terrain and operational needs of the transit system. The project included the construction of substantial site retaining walls to stabilize steep topography and create level surfaces for bus circulation and parking. Landscaping was designed to blend the facility into its natural surroundings, enhance visual appeal, and support environmental sustainability goals.

Addressing operational deficiencies, the expanded facility accommodates public transportation needs, including growth in population and ridership demand, while contributing to the RFTA’s transition to zero-emission buses. Previously, buses were stored outdoors, resulting in additional operational costs, especially during the winter months, and the operational support spaces were too small to accommodate RFTA’s fleet growth and the increased number of staff.
RFTA is the second-largest transit agency in Colorado and the largest rural transit system in the United States. Its regional network spans approximately 70 miles, serving communities from Aspen to Rifle. This project supports transit needs in Glenwood Springs and the greater Roaring Fork and Colorado River Valley in western Colorado. The facility will provide RFTA with the capacity to expand bus rapid transit (BRT) and regional services along the I-70 corridor, complementing the existing VelociRFTA BRT service between Glenwood Springs and Aspen.

“The GMF expansion has been a critical project for the growing population of Pitkin and Garfield counties and the surrounding areas,” said Merlin Maley, Senior Principal for Stantec. “We are excited to see its doors open to the public and improve the reliability and efficiency of RFTA’s operations, while also reducing fossil fuel emissions.”