A new TranGO operations center could break ground as early as spring 2027 in north Omak, after federal officials completed an environmental review of the project.
Transit hub project could break ground next spring
TranGO crossed a major hurdle in its plans to build a transit facility in north Omak, after a federal agency completed its environmental review of the project.
The Okanogan County Transportation Authority (OCTA), which operates the countywide bus system, announced on Aug. 18 that a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) National Environmental Policy Act review found no “significant environmental effects” from the project.
“I am beyond excited to receive the approval,” TranGO General Manager Brent Timm said in an interview. “It is an arduous process, so to get it completed feels amazing.”
Construction of the facility could begin in spring 2027, Timm said. It will have space for offices and vehicle maintenance. Additionally, a four-bay transit stop will include a lobby, restrooms and a covered outdoor waiting area.
The site will serve as a center of operations for both TranGO and Okanogan County Transportation & Nutrition, which offers door-to-door bus service and meal deliveries, primarily for elders and people with disabilities.
Currently, TranGO staff work out of a converted bank building in downtown Okanogan, where buses pull up in an alley to pick up passengers. And TranGO needs to schedule appointments with local shops for maintenance and repairs.
Without its own maintenance facility, the transit agency has been hampered in its efforts to expand service in the Methow Valley and the rest of Okanogan County because too many buses are out of service awaiting maintenance, Timm has said.
Saving up
The federal approval, coupled with a $9.24 million FTA grant awarded in November, means that TranGO “can continue moving forward to ensure improvements and expansion to transit service for many years to come,” the general manager said in a news release.
FTA granted TranGO a “categorical exclusion” after its environmental review, according to the news release. As a result, TranGO does not need to undertake a more detailed environmental review before construction. The FTA determined the transit center does not pose a significant risk to wetlands, protected species, cultural resources or other environmental considerations.
A 2025 estimate put the total cost of the maintenance and operations center at $14.5 million, with the remainder, after the $9.24 million federal grant, coming from TranGO’s own funds.
“We have been saving our pennies over the last 13 years to be able to cover the remaining funds over the FTA grant award amount,” Timm said in an interview.
An updated cost estimate was still being calculated, Timm said. TranGO may apply for a State Buses and Bus Facilities grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation to help pay for the new facility.
“I would really feel more comfortable if we could keep some of the money we have saved in reserves,” Timm said.
Timm said he was not ready to disclose the exact location of the transit center, as final details of the property acquisition were still being worked out. It is planned for north Omak, Timm said, near several health care providers and major retailers.
OCTA launched its TranGO bus service in 2015. Methow Valley routes include runs from Twisp to Mazama, Okanogan and Pateros. In addition to its Okanogan County service, TranGO offers three trips a day between Okanogan and Chelan, via Pateros.
