Construction of the Butler Transit Authority's $2.5 million park and ride, and indoor rider waiting area at its Hollywood Drive facility, is expected to begin this month.

Site approval for the project from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and a construction permit from the city are the last hurdles that have to be cleared before work can begin, John Paul, authority executive director, said Tuesday.

DEP staff is not working in their offices because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that is causing a delay in the approval process. The city can't issue a construction permit until the DEP issues its approval, Paul said.

He said all parties involved in the project are aware of the situation, but it should be resolved in the next couple of weeks to allow construction to begin.

The authority awarded $2.5 million in construction contracts for the project in January. Construction is expected to be completed in 12 months.

The project involves building an indoor rider waiting area, a park and ride, an employee training room and access for bicycle riders and pedestrians at the authority's office and bus garage in the Pullman Center Business Park.

The authority is using federal funding earmarked for rural transportation to pay for 80% of the cost, and state and county funding for the remaining 20%.

The authority operates five park and ride lots for passengers using the commuter bus service between Butler and Pittsburgh.

The only indoor waiting area is in the authority's Downtown Butler Bus Terminal on West New Castle Street, but it is open for ticket sales only because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In other business, the authority approved the purchase of a new internet protocol (IP) phone system for $7,104 from Third Generation of Bridgeville. The system comes with a five-year warranty, officials said.IP phones use internet data lines instead of a traditional telephone network.