November 2021
Walsh-Stantec design-build team selected to assist King County Metro begin transition to zero-emission bus fleet
Seattle, WA - King County Metro Transit recently selected the Walsh-Stantec design-build team to help the County with their first large scale project to transition to a zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet. As part of Metro’s goal for a 100% ZEB fleet by 2035, The Walsh Group and Stantec will provide progressive design-build services for the Interim Base Electrification (IBE) project.
The $67 million IBE project will provide parking and charging stations for 120 ZEB buses at the existing King County Interim South Base in Tukwila. The IBE project, which is the continuation of fleet electrification for Metro, will be the County’s first progressive design-build, which provides an integrated approach, greater resources, and shared expertise between the design-build team and King County.
King County Metro, which serves a population of more than 2.1 million people, is leading the transit industry as an early adopter of battery-electric buses that produce no exhaust fumes, are quieter, and have the potential for lower operating costs. Metro’s goal is to maintain its current fleet of approximately 1,400 coaches as it transitions to a ZEB fleet by 2035 to align with the County’s equity and social justice goals. The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2024.
“The Walsh Group is proud to lead the construction of this design-build project that will deliver an impactful mode of clean, sustainable transportation for our fellow King County residents,” said Doug Benjamin, Program Manager at The Walsh Group. “We have a steadfast commitment to sustainability across our jobsites, and we are excited to join Stantec and King County Metro, two great partners that share the same commitment as well.”
“We’re excited to work with The Walsh Group to help King County Metro with this large deployment of zero-emission buses in the Pacific Northwest,” Mark Peckover, Stantec principal and project design manager. “The transition to ZEBs is the future of transit, and Metro is moving forward with a large and important first step. The progressive design-build method allows our team to take a holistic view of the base and how best to continue the transition.”
“We are excited at the opportunity to work with Walsh-Stantec team, to innovate, build trust and manage change that’s the only constant, as we further the transition to ZEBs. In so doing, adding our weight to the arch of justice.” said Kevin Kibet, King County Metro Transit Capital Project Manager.
Walsh is managing all construction activities on the project, while Stantec is providing electrical engineering, transportation planning, information and communications technology design, acoustic design, charging system design, and historical archaeology. The Walsh-Stantec team includes several Small Business Enterprises as subconsultants, including Rolluda Architects, Lund Opsahl for structural engineering, LPD Engineering for civil engineering, and Evenergi for predictive power modeling.