Transportation Center
ECCS moves ahead with new transportation center
A key capital project of Eastern Carver County Schools, a new Transportation center that will properly house the district's school bus transportation operations, received the "green light" at the November 13, 2023 school board meeting.
The school board authorized the district to sign a purchase agreement for a 20-acre parcel of land at 12120 Jonathan Carver Parkway. The undeveloped land is located in Dahlgren Township near the Mills Fleet Farm.
Currently, two-thirds of the district's buses are stored outside in harsh Minnesota conditions. The current facility would need significant investment in deferred maintenance as well.
The purchase price was $3 million. The project will be funded through a 20-year bond of $12.37 million repaid through a lease levy as well as remaining funds from the Cottrell estate donation ($6.6 million) that was left to the district.
The project is proposed to include storage, maintenance, and operational/office facilities for the school district’s fleet of transportation vehicles. The building is proposed to be connected/contiguous and be approximately 80,000 square feet, with approximately 10,000 square feet dedicated to vehicle maintenance; approximately 4,300 square feet dedicated to office space for the dispatch team, driver break room, restrooms, etc.; and the remainder for storage of vehicles ranging from trucks to smaller busses/vans as well as full size school buses (goal of 120-130 vehicles). Vehicle fueling is a consideration for the project pending available budget. The majority (more than 75%) of the vehicles use propane for fuel, with some vehicles also being diesel or electric.
Eastern Carver County Schools has purchased 20 acres of land in Dahlgren Township near 212 and Jonathan Carver Parkway for development of a new transportation center.
