Atkins provided a full range of A-E design services for Phase I development of the newly planned South Bay Regional Intermodal Transit Center. The three-phase, $14.2 million construction project replaces the existing regional transit center in an effort to improve overall public bus transit service and mobility within southwestern Los Angeles County. Phase I services included architectural and landscape design; structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering; LEED® administration; infrastructure design; and construction administration.
Phase I plans for the 5.6-acre site include a pedestrian-friendly concourse, a “kiss-and-ride” lot for commuter drop-off/pickup, 13 bus bays, and a park-and-ride lot with 328 parking spaces, as well as a newly constructed, 2,875-square-foot bus transit building being designed to meet LEED Silver certification standards. This facility also incorporates a sheriff’s office strategically sited with an overview of the grounds and bus bays for greater security, as well as public restrooms, ticket sales office, information window, and bus operators’ lounge.
A significant component of this project is the facility’s elongated concourse that incorporates 13 bus bays and 36,810 square feet of landscaping. Inviting elements specified by the Atkins design team include conveniently located coffee kiosks within the plaza, geometric landscape planters, playful and colorful paving patterns, sculptural trellises within waiting areas, and covered bike racks and lockers. Permanent public artwork, provided by the Regional Arts Commission, is also being incorporated into the plaza design.
The Atkins team integrated numerous sustainable and green elements, for example, recycled and regional materials, low-flow fixtures, bio-swales for filtering water runoff, and drought-resistant landscaping. The project also included off-site improvements to support the new transit facility.