New transportation hub coming to Ronan

Lake County Council on Aging (LCCOA), which runs a public transportation system throughout the county and to neighboring towns, is ready to build a new facility in Ronan.

Director Dara Rodda said the organization recently completed the purchase of property across Highway 93 from Town Pump. Plans are to construct a transportation hub with five two-vehicle drive-through bays, plus offices and a conference room.

“We have been renting a 450-square-foot office from the Ronan Senior Center since we started in the ‘70s,” Rodda said. “So this is just a huge blessing. Not just for us but for all of the people who use our services. I think we’re going to be able to give better service and more people will know about us because we’ll be on the highway and actually have this big, beautiful facility to share with the community.”

The new facility is being made possible by a federal grant from CARES Act funding, administered through the state. A bid package for construction is in the works.

The LCCOA transportation program — Lake Community Transit — is available to all Lake County residents. It provides rides to medical appointments, shopping and social activities. Drivers are qualified volunteers and are available for trips to towns within Lake County and, with 48 hours' notice, to Missoula and Kalispell.

For more information, visit www.lakecountycoa.org/transportation. To book rides, call 406-676-2367, ext. 1.