The Connecticut Department of Transportation is moving forward with plans to expand and modernize Windham Region Transit District (WRTD) bus facility in Mansfield. The move comes after the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $35.7 million in funding to support the project.
The project doubles the size of the hub and provides another 25 charging stations, extending its capacity to power up approximately 50 buses. The updated facility will also include a bus washing station, administrative offices and indoor bus storage.
Mansfield sits at the center of WRTD’s 23-town service area and is home to the UConn Storrs campus, which relies heavily on transit. Its central location makes it the most practical site for a larger facility that can support expanded regional and campus bus operations.
The expansion is expected to create lasting operational and maintenance jobs once the larger facility is in service, and improved transit reliability will strengthen access to employment across the Four Corners and Mansfield area.
The FTA funding falls within the Low or No-Emission Program under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Part of the competitive process required a matching funding of up to 20% for various parts of the project. Connecticut’s guaranteed match exceeds that. Although the 2025 grant allows the recipient to have through late 2028 to obligate funds, having the state’s commitment already in hand could allow the WRTD project to progress more quickly toward its goal of a fully battery-electric bus fleet by 2035.
Photo by Scott Webb from Pexels
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