King County Metro South Base – South Base Test Facility, Interim Base and South Annex Base

Project overview

Vanir is proud to support King County Metro (Metro) as it takes steps towards achieving its goal of having a 100% zero-emissions fleet by 2040. It is among the 10 largest transit agencies in the U.S. and has started building new facilities with large‐scale electrical charging infrastructure and developing information technology solutions for charge management and route planning.

Metro’s first focus is on its South Campus projects, which include the South Base Test Facility and Interim Base. Vanir is providing owner’s advisory, project management and construction management services for Metro, including cost estimating review/analysis, scheduling review/analysis and inspection services. A third project, the South Annex Base, will be built by 2028.

  • South Base Test Facility: The project involves the construction of a 13,910-square-foot charging facility to support the operation of 40 battery-electric buses (BEBs). It includes the installation of new primary electrical services, electrical and communication duct banks and civil/structural/electrical components for charging infrastructure. The facility will also serve as a hub for the development of training and maintenance practices and for sharing Metro’s learnings with others as a leader in the industry.
  • Interim Base: The project involves the conversion of the existing South Interim Base to a 543,901-square-foot, BEB charging facility. This includes the installation of new primary electrical services, electrical and communication duct banks and civil/structural/electrical components that will provide the infrastructure for the charging stations and charge management systems to support the operation of 120 BEBs.
 
 
 
Tukwila, Washington
King County Metro
Architect

South Base Test Facility: McKinstry

Interim Base Electrification Design-Build Architect: Stantec

Contractor

South Base Test Facility: McKinstry

Interim Base Electrification Design-Build Contractor: Walsh Construction Co.

Square Footage
South Base Test Facility: 13,910 SF; Interim Base Electrification: 543,901 SF
Construction Cost
South Base Test Facility: $7.3 Million; Interim Base Electrification: $70 Million
Start Date
South Base Test Facility: 2021; Interim Base Electrification: 2023
Completion Date
South Base Test Facility: Ongoing; Interim Base Electrification: 2025