The City of Petersburg was awarded $8 million in Round 1 SMART SCALE funds in FY15 for the construction of a 200 space park and ride garage directly adjacent to the Petersburg Area Transit (PAT) Multimodal Center.

The purpose of this project is to serve local, commuter, and intercity bus passengers with access to PAT’s on-site bus service. The need for this project came about in 2013 when VDOT completed a statewide Park and Ride Lot Inventory and Usage Study. PAT’s Multimodal Center was among the recommendations for a new Park and Ride lot. The study determined that the Petersburg area lacked adequate parking for commuters and patrons of PAT. Current parking around the Center is at capacity, with commuters mainly traveling to Richmond. They cited the need for alternative transportation options, expanding beyond Petersburg to citizens living in areas such as Emporia, Waverly, Sussex, and Dinwiddie.

The project received a Federal Transit Administration Section 106 Determination letter on January 14, 2020, enabling the project to proceed. Construction has proceeded well with minimal issues, few change orders, and minor delays. The project ran ahead of schedule and under budget. The ribbon cutting took place in October 2022. DRPT has provided oversight and administration of this project.