ACTC Approves $6 Million Transit Center Proposal For Amador County

By Sean Rabé

A unanimous decision by the Amador County Transportation Commission at its June meeting has brought the prospect of a $6 million transit center project to be located in Sutter Hill one step closer to reality.

The commission voted recently to accept a final draft site plan and phasing/funding strategy for the project, slated to be built at the intersection of Valley View Way and Bowers Drive. The project, which has already received environmental clearance from the city of Sutter Creek, will go before the city´s planning commission for a conditional use permit on July 25.

The project is slated to be built in several phases over as many as 10 years. All told, the project will consist of a transit transfer facility, a park and ride facility, a multi-use office building, solar electric shade structures and a 1.62 acre city park.

The 4.8-acre property that the facility will be built on was given to ACTC by Caltrans.

According to a report from ACTC consultant Stantec, which is overseeing the development of the project, at least five phases would be needed to build the project. Phase one would be the grading of the project site at a total of $515,950. Phase two would consist of building the park and ride facility and the project´s entrance roadway, for a total of $703,300.

Phase three would include the Amador Rapid Transit System transfer facility and entrance roadway for a total of $682,560. Phase four would consist of preparing the area around the proposed transit center office building (but does not include the building itself) for a total of $478,960. The remaining phase would see the building, a restroom structure, landscaping and signing and the solar panels constructed for a total of $3.5 million.

ACTC Executive Director Charles Field said funding for the initial phases of the project will come from a variety of sources, including state and federal grants. He said that the project has about $1.7 million in secured funding for the initial grading, utilities and paving for the project.

Stantec´s report details a number of funding options for each phase of the project as well.

Reprinted with permission from The Amador Ledger Dispatch