West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) officials said Federal Transit Administration funding would enable Bluefield Area Transit (BAT) to build a bus transfer station in Bluefield, West Virginia.
“So many people have worked tirelessly on this project,” Byrd White, West Virginia Secretary of Transportation, said. “WVDOT is proud of this innovative project, which is perfectly aligned with Gov. Justice’s vision to make a real difference in the lives of West Virginians.”
Bill Robinson, director of the state Division of Public Transit, said Swope Construction, headquartered in Huntington with an office in Bluefield, secured the $2.678 million bid to build the transfer station. Construction is scheduled to begin this year.
Mercer and McDowell counties, including the Mercer County community of Bluefield and the McDowell County community of Welch, are all served by BAT. In 2019, BAT transported nearly 212,000 passengers, including 127,983 elderly and 15,966 passengers with disabilities, a total of 799,938 miles.
Robinson said a transfer station in Bluefield was needed to shield riders from the weather while waiting to transfer to another bus or shelter Greyhound bus passengers. The facility will also handle natural gas vehicles.
“Bluefield had a vision, to grow and to thrive,” Robinson said. “They are in the middle of a revitalization, and we’re proud that our project comes along at just the right time to really help people in this beautiful part of the state.”