New Transportation Department nearly complete

KENANSVILLE – Duplin continues to see growth. This time the Duplin County Transportation Department located at the Duplin Commons is nearing completion of its new facility which will house administration and operations all under one roof.

The grant to build the new facility was originally awarded to Duplin County in 2020 through NC DOT with a total federal and local share of $1.4 million. Since the initial allocation, the project has received two additional allocations making the total budget for the new facility $4.27 million.

County Manager Bryan Miller told the Duplin Journal that they are still waiting on a couple of key pieces. “There is a generator we are waiting on and there is still a little bit of construction to do in the back. But you know with supply chain delays now it is tough, and it is the same thing with our Animal Services Department,” said Miller.

Angel Venecia, Transportation Department director, says she is hopeful construction will be done by the end of January 2024.

The new transportation facility will provide ample parking to house the department vehicles which are being temporarily parked off site. “We don’t have parking for our vans in our current facility,” said Venecia, adding that the drivers must go to the administrative office to pick up their keys and paperwork and then drive to the area where the vans are being parked to do their pre-check service.

Venecia, who has been the Transportation director for the last five years, explained that the new facility will enable them to have the vans in a secure, fenced-in area accessible to authorized personnel only

“We’re excited to have increased security,” said Venecia. “Those are just some of the exciting things that we’ll be able to do.”

The new building will have a covered shelter to house the vans overnight, protecting the float of vehicles from the elements. “It’ll give our drivers an opportunity to be able to do their pre-check and post check inspections without having to be standing in the rain the whole time, which is nice to have,” said Venecia, adding that the new facility will also have a wash area for the employees to clean and maintain their vehicles on site instead of having to use a contractor.

The Duplin County native shared that the new building will have enough offices for the staff and room for growth. “It will have a nice training room so that we can conduct our safety training mandated by NC DOT,” said Venecia.