The Fresno Chamber of Commerce took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, August 22, to mark the opening of the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency’s new facility in Selma.
The Mayor David T. Cardenas Regional Operations & Maintenance Facility was built at a cost of $20 million and is named after the late mayor of Fowler. The project highlights the influence of Measure C on transportation projects in Fresno County.
“As Fresno County Transportation Authority Board Chair and also the board chair of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, I am proud that Measure C committed over $10 million to the design and construction of this operations and maintenance center adjacent to the Golden State Boulevard Corridor,” Buddy Mendes said.
Additional funding for the facility came from state grants as well as support from the Federal Transit Administration.
The Fresno County Rural Transit Agency provides public transit services that connect rural communities within their towns and across the county. The new facility brings together operations, maintenance, and administrative activities for a fleet consisting of 122 vehicles powered by electric, natural gas, and fossil fuels. The site includes features such as in-ground charging stations for electric vehicles, a battery energy storage system, solar bus ports with chargers, and a solar field.
“By converting to zero-emission vehicles for public transit operators by 2040, it only makes sense to fund projects that make our transition easier and cost-effective, especially in our rural areas – our rural areas that are the heart and soul of our Valley and put food on America’s dinner table every night,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Costa.
Mendes also encouraged support for renewing Fresno County’s half-cent sales tax—Measure C—which will be up for voter approval next year.
“We do need a Measure C renewal,” he said. “Everybody has to get on the road. These buses have to get on the road. So, if you don’t have good roads, you can have all this other great stuff, but it isn’t going to do you any good if you can’t get anywhere.”
After remarks from local officials praising both Mayor Cardenas and the new facility, members of the public joined business leaders and community members at a ribbon cutting hosted by the Chamber.
The Chamber serves businesses throughout Fresno County.
