Intercity Transit crews are rebuilding bus stops across Thurston County in a $2.5 million project that started in downtown Olympia and will touch 147 stops.

Work crews were remaking the sidewalk at the southwest corner of Fourth Avenue and Washington Street on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, The Olympian reported.

That intersection is one of several downtown Olympia locations where bus pad construction has stretched through the summer. Work at the same corner and along Capitol Way between Fourth and Fifth avenues was first reported in August.

The project covers 64 stops in Olympia and 44 in Lacey. The remaining stops are in Tumwater, Yelm, unincorporated Thurston County and on state-owned properties, according to The Jolt News.

At each stop, crews are extending concrete pads and building bulb-outs. A bulb-out widens the sidewalk toward the bus lane so a bus can stay in its travel lane while riders board and exit.

Intercity Transit's board authorized the contract with Four Seasons Concrete Construction, LLC on Sept. 17, 2025.

The firm's base bid of about $2.37 million came in 26.6% below the agency's engineer estimate of roughly $3.23 million, according to board meeting records. The total contract, including a 5% contingency, is $2,487,587.61.

Five other firms also submitted bids.

Rob LaFontaine, Intercity Transit's planning deputy director, said in September 2025 that the upgrades aim to reduce wait times, improve accessibility and streamline operations.

Federal and state money is paying for the work. Funding comes from U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland's community project funding request and the Washington State Department of Transportation's Regional Mobility Grant Program, according to documents prepared for the board's September 2025 meeting.

Construction began in early 2026, according to Intercity Transit's draft 2026–2031 Transit Development Plan. The project is listed as a continuing program in the agency's 2027–2030 Transportation Improvement Program, adopted at the May 20, 2026 board meeting.

During the August phase of downtown work, road impacts along Capitol Way ran from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with lanes fully reopened each evening, The Jolt News reported, citing a City of Olympia construction alert. The bus stop at Fourth and Washington was temporarily moved 105 feet west, near the US Bank building.

Residents with questions can contact Intercity Transit Construction Projects Coordinator Jeff Peterson at 564-233-8980 or Project Manager Bruce Waddell III at 253-228-6554.