Construction on the Jim West Regional Transit Center has recently been completed and is now open for public transit services. Anthony Mortillaro, Executive Director for the North Central Regional Transit District, said the new transit center will help the District better serve the public by providing a central office to house the District’s operations and administration under one roof.
“It’s a two-fold benefit,” Mortillaro said. “One is that it consolidates our operations. We’re able to bring our employees together and our customers now have one center.”
Before opening the new transit center in Española, the District had been operating out of three separate offices.
“It creates more of an organization [sic], team environment than in the past,” he said.
The 12,270-square-foot facility is located at 1327 Riverside Drive, near Auto Zone, Walmart and Chili’s.
A building dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 11:30 a.m., Friday, at the new facility. State Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-New Mexico), Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), Española Mayor Alice Lucero, and various state and city officials are expected to attend the ceremony.
The District planned to open the new transit center in February but its opening was delayed due to a perceived soil issue on the property. Engineers working on the project found problems with drainage at the site; engineers found clay that would expand or swell with the presence of rain water.
Mortillaro said the issue had been resolved by removing the layer of clay soil from the site so permanent structures, such as a parking lot, would not be affected by rain water.
Ellis/Browning Architects, Ltd. of Santa Fe prepared the structural design and Stoven Construction of Albuquerque constructed the facility.
The total project cost for the new transit center was $4,004,585. The breakdown is as follows:
• building construction – $1,993,927;
• land and building purchase – $1,696,978;
• furniture, fixtures and equipment – $167,738;
• construction management – $60,000;
• other – $85,942.
The facility is named after Jim West, an inaugural member of the District’s Board, who served from 2004-10. West also served as Board chairman from 2006-08.
The transit service is financially supported by a gross receipts tax that voters in the four-county district approved in 2008. Mortillaro said the tax provides 70 percent of the District’s total funding. The District also utilizes federal, grant funding and miscellaneous financial contributions to cover administrative and operational costs.
The District offers fixed route, commuter, para transit and subscription passenger services.
For detailed route schedules contact the District offices at (866) 206-0754 or visit Ncrtd.org and follow links to “Routes.”