Broward County Transit has unveiled redevelopment plans for the COPANS Transit Facility at 3201 W. Copans Road, which currently services as a key operational facility for the county’s bus fleet. The project will involve five buildings, with three existing structures— the refueling building, the bus wash building, and the operations building—being renovated. Planned upgrades to the operations building include a new exterior facade, enhanced CCTV access, and other improvements for departments like IT.
Building 1 is set to be demolished to make way for a new 200,000-square-foot maintenance facility. This facility will feature electric bus technology, charging stations, and office space. Its roof will house additional bus charging stations, and the building’s eastern side will include ramps for continuous bus circulation during charging. Solar panels will cover the rooftop, providing an efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective way to charge the buses.
A new two-story, 16,900-square-foot training facility will soon be constructed to enhance bus driver training, featuring state-of-the-art driving simulators and in-person learning spaces. As part of this development, the facility’s entrance will see upgrades with proximity card readers, improved guardhouse security, and better access throughout the site. To ensure the property is prepared for future weather events, two on-site lakes and an enhanced drainage system will be added. Additional improvements include expanded bus maintenance parking, pedestrian-friendly pathways, utility upgrades, and fresh landscaping to improve the site’s overall appearance.
Spanning approximately 27 acres (or 1.1 million square feet), the property will feature 261,360 square feet of gross industrial space. To accommodate staff and visitors, there will be 514 parking spaces along with 20 bicycle parking spots. In a project narrative, Arcadis, the prime consultant, emphasized that these upgrades reflect ongoing activity and pride in the property’s value to the community. The site is also expected to act as a catalyst for future transit expansions, paving the way for growth in the years to come.