Lewis Street Transit Hub Under Construction

NEW AND IMPROVED TRANSIT HUB – COMING SOON!

 

BRITE buses have been hubbing at the lot on North Lewis Street for many years. In 2021, the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), who operates the BRITE Transit System, purchased the lot to ensure transit activities would continue at this location for many years to come. The lot was in poor condition – the weight of the buses and poor drainage had created large potholes in need of repair.

The CSPDC applied for a competitive nation-wide grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s Bus and Bus Facilities program to rehabilitate the site and transform it into a top-notch transit hub. The CSPDC was awarded the FTA grant, and received matching funds from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) to pay for the improvements.

Between 2021 and 2024, the CSPDC, DRPT, and engineers from Kimley-Horn and Associates worked to design the new hub. In early 2024, the CSPDC awarded a construction contract to Virginia Infrastructure, Inc. to begin tearing up the existing asphalt and replacing it with long-lasting concrete.

In addition to more resilient pavement, the rehabilitation project includes a designated bus lane and new parking area, all new ADA-accessible sidewalks, curb ramps with detectable warning surface plates, safety lighting, installation of conduits for future Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations, and new landscaping. The CSPDC also intends to spruce up the existing shelters and benches before reinstalling them on the updated site. Not only will these improvements make the hub safer and more accessible, it will create a beautiful asset for the City of Staunton and the city’s residents.

 

Construction is expected to take approximately four months and will be mostly contained to the Lewis Street lot, with minimal interruption to normal traffic flow on N. Lewis Street. Virginia Infrastructure, Inc., a veteran-owned small business based out of Lexington, will lead construction and the CSPDC has contracted with a construction management firm to oversee the work. The CSPDC is excited to have this work being completed by local firms with locally sourced materials wherever possible.

During construction, BRITE Transit bus activity will shift to N. Augusta Street where the buses will temporarily hub along the angled parking spaces. Personal and business vehicle parking will not be available in the 19 angled parking spaces on N. Augusta Street beginning at Academy Street toward Frederick Street as indicated on the map below. The remaining angled parking and parallel spots on the opposite side of N. Augusta Street will still be available with no time limit, as well as on-street parking within a couple blocks of the temporary hub.

Transit operations will function as usual out of the temporary hub. Please review our FAQs for more information about how this might impact your travel.

The Central Shenandoah Planning District (CSPDC), which operates BRITE Transit, is leading this project in collaboration with the City of Staunton. If you have any questions or concerns during construction, please feel free to contact CSPDC’s Executive Director, Ann Cundy via email at ann@cspdc.org or via phone at (540) 885-5174 ext. 116.

We appreciate your patience as we make our community safer and more accessible through improved transit options.