About a year ago, members of the Cache Valley Transit District were disappointed after a funding request to the state was denied. The transit district was hoping to fill a hole in their funding to build a new administration and maintenance facility in North Logan, but it didn’t pan out.
This year, CVTD’s luck was able to change.
The transit district received $5 million dollars in state funds to cover part of the remaining cost for the new building, which will house all of the transit district’s buses and administrative offices. The funds will cover around 10% of the facility’s overall cost.
Todd Beutler, CEO and general manager of CVTD, said state Sen. Chris Wilson, a Republican from Logan, was to thank for the funding request being filled.
“So it actually came through his committee, he and the committee were able to find that $5 million," Beutler said. "And so, obviously we're grateful for that. And I mean, the work that he's done to help us secure that funding.”
Despite the gap in funding, Cache Valley Transit broke ground on the new facility last March. That was just weeks after the transit district learned they wouldn’t get state funding, but Beutler said he knew there was enough money to get the project started.
Beutler hoped the rest of the money would come to fruition through the 2024 legislative session, but he prepared some short-term options just in case. Lucky for him, that wasn’t necessary.
“Thankfully, the legislature helped us, and 5 million will get the project done for us," Beutler said.
The new headquarters will allow CVTD to keep pace with ridership in the growing Cache Valley, as its current building is beyond capacity and doesn’t have any more space.
Beutler said the new facility will allow buses to be kept indoors and will keep existing buses running for longer, as they won’t be parked outside and exposed to harsh winters. The building will include space for electric charging in the hopes of using electric buses in the future.
For now, the free-fare transit district hopes to have the new facility up and running by next year.
