Groundbreaking kicks off Silverdale Transit Center construction

EventsNews

May 20

Left to right: Kitsap County Commissioner Charlotte Garrido, Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson, Governor Jay Inslee, FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, Port Orchard Mayor Rob Puutansuu, Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson, Central Kitsap Commissioner Ed Wolfe, Bainbridge Island Councilmember Leslie Schneider, Bainbridge Island Councilmember Joe Deets.

Gov. Jay Inslee and Nuria Fernandez, head of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), participated in a groundbreaking Thursday, May 19 for Kitsap Transit’s future Silverdale Transit Center at the southwest corner of Ridgetop Boulevard Northwest and State Route 303.

Slated to open in fall 2023, the transit center will be the first in Western Washington to feature automatic wireless charging of electric buses using in-ground charging technology developed by Momentum Dynamics. The transit center also features a dedicated on-ramp for Kitsap Transit buses to travel southbound on SR 303 as well as numerous passenger improvements, such as extensive shelter, bicycle storage and ADA accessibility.

“This project is yet another example of how we are reducing emissions that harm our planet, reducing pollution that harms our communities, and improving people’s ability to get to get to work and school,” said Gov. Inslee in a statement. “Kitsap Transit in particular has been doing outstanding work to transition to clean fuels in buses and passenger ferries. Congratulations to everyone who has contributed to these efforts.”

*Gov. Jay Inslee speaks at the Silverdale Transit Center groundbreaking ceremony on May 19, 2022.*

The FTA sent a delegation from Washington, D.C., and its Region 10 Seattle office that supports Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

“This new Transit Center is a great step forward for Silverdale and the region,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez, whose agency provided close to $10 million in federal grants to support the project. “Replacing a smaller, less conveniently located facility with a community-centered new bus center means a better transit future for residents of Silverdale and the Kitsap Peninsula, connecting them with more jobs, education, and healthcare options, along with friends and family.”

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) provided grant funding of $4.5 million for right-of-way acquisition and $2.5 million toward construction.

“Public transit is an essential piece of a multimodal and sustainable transportation system,” said WSDOT Secretary Roger Millar in a statement. “We are proud to partner with Kitsap Transit to provide a safe and reliable connection to transit which will improve the community and economic vitality for people and businesses.”

Kitsap Transit’s local contribution is $1.5 million for design and engineering and $4 million for construction.

More than 70 people attended Thursday’s groundbreaking. The attendees included State Reps. Drew Hansen and Tarra Simmons; the mayors of all four cities in Kitsap County; two of the three County Commissioners; the top leadership of St. Michael Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente – Silverdale, and Peninsula Community Health Services; the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce; the Port of Bremerton; and Puget Sound Energy.

*FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez speaks at the Silverdale Transit Center groundbreaking ceremony on May 19, 2022.*

The quest for a permanent home for the Silverdale Transit Center began more than a decade ago, said John Clauson, Executive Director of Kitsap Transit, when the Kitsap Mall needed to take back space that was being used to stage buses and pick-up and drop-off customers. Since then, the agency has used a dead-end spur off Greaves Way in front of the Trails shopping mall as a temporary solution.

“This transit center is the missing link in our bus network, providing faster connections for travel between North and South Kitsap, improved passenger amenities such as bicycle storage, and en-route charging for our electric buses so they can travel farther without having to be plugged in,” Clauson said. “It’s a game-changer for residents and businesses in Silverdale that want to consider transit in their menu of transportation choices.”

Moreover, the wireless charging technology will become more important as Kitsap Transit transitions its fleet from clean diesel to electricity. The agency now operates two electric buses; by the end of 2024, it anticipates having a fleet of 30 electric buses, the majority of which have been funded with FTA grants.

Aides to all three federal lawmakers whose districts include Silverdale participated in the groundbreaking.

“When we invest in public transit, we’re investing in shorter commutes, lower emissions, and making sure people can safely get where they need to go,” said U.S. Senator Patty Murray. “That’s why it’s so great to see these investments pay off in this groundbreaking of Silverdale’s new transit center. This is good news for families and commuters in Kitsap, who will really benefit from this project. At the end of the day, investments like this are about people—they connect our communities and strengthen our economy in a big way.”

“The groundbreaking for the Silverdale Transit Center is a big deal for Kitsap County residents,” said U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer. “This multi-modal transit center will help improve reliability and accessibility for transit riders across our region. That's important as we work to connect more people to opportunities – including jobs, affordable housing, and health care. I’m thrilled to see this project get underway!”

Kitsap Transit presented Inslee and Fernandez with plaques to commemorate their participation in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Momentum Dynamics, which is installing the technology that allows electric buses to recharge wirelessly, said in a statement that the Silverdale Transit Center represents the first transit center designed from the ground-up with wireless charging in mind.

“Aside from being the first transit system in Western Washington to deploy Momentum’s flush mount in-ground charging technology, Kitsap Transit will be the first wireless charging installation, in the United States, that totally conceals the power electronics and switch gear into the design and removes the cabinets from the transit platform,” said Todd Daniel, Director of Transit Solutions for Momentum Dynamics. “This unique design offers a ‘Clean Streets’ approach to battery electric vehicle charging and is truly innovative engineering.”