Katy ISD broke ground Jan. 6 on the last phase of its third transportation center, a part of the district’s 2014 bond package.

“We actually bought property for this facility back in 2002,” KISD planner and architect Peter McElwain said. “At that particular time, the roads that are currently there were not there so we worked closely with the county and the major thoroughfare plan to ensure that roads are in place when this facility is developed.”

The South Transportation Center is scheduled to open in January 2017 and will hold about 250 of the district’s 535 buses, said Mike Robinson, assistant superintendent for KISD support services.

McElwain said Phase 1 of the new center, located at 3151 Falcon Landing Blvd., opened in January 2011 and has bus parking and administrative offices. He said the district recognized future growth in the southwest portion of the district’s boundaries, creating a need to build a third transportation center.

The south center includes a satellite law enforcement office for the Katy ISD Police Department and a depot for maintenance crews. The project cost is $14 million, which is about $2 million under budget, McElwain said.

The total 2014 bond package of $748 million also included three new schools—two elementary schools and a junior high school—that will open in the fall of 2016. Another elementary school, a junior high school and a high school are scheduled to open in 2017.

Other projects include renovations at six campuses.

“Obviously, the weather has posed challenges,” McElwain said. “They’re all exciting projects that are going to benefit the district tremendously when they are complete.”