The PRT facility provides the City of Pocatello with a state of the art bus transfer station, departmental offices, bus storage, and fleet maintenance complete with fueling station and bus washing areas. The Lobby, Office Area, Drivers lounge and Conference building is approximately 4,500 square feet. The Maintenance Shop is approx. 12,000 square feet. Covered bus parking area will be approx. 10,000 square feet.
While the overall general appearance and functionality closely resembles the JHS designed Water Operations facility across town, also for the City of Pocatello, the entrance lobby façade reflects the character of a transit station with color used to match the PRT color scheme as well as draw people’s attention toward the new bus depot.
A major design element of this project had to do with storm water retention. The site is situated in a natural low spot which collects storm water from the surrounding neighborhood and adjacent hill sides. The cumulative storm water volume in a 100 year storm event could put almost five feet of water on the site. Consequently, the entire site is built up so the Office building is five feet above the native soil’s elevation. The site design includes drainage swales and retention system capable of handling a more normal 10-year storm event.
