Extreme makeover: Bus stop edition
The Olympian - 2005-05-31 -
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Intercity Transit plans to spend $289,000 this year on new shelters at its bus stops, and another $82,750 to put in amenities such as benches and trash cans.
The improvements are being done because of input from riders, according to IT spokeswoman Meg Kester. The bus authority surveyed 1,800 riders in November and found that people were satisfied overall with the system.
But they were less satisfied with bus stops and shelters, according to Kester.
Most of the shelters will be in place before November, when the region's rainy season begins, according to Dennis Bloom, IT's service planning manager.
"In the Northwest, the need for protection is certainly higher than you normally see," he said. "As the phrase goes, the riding starts before you get on the bus."
The bus authority operates about 930 bus stops; about 15 percent have shelters.
The decision on which stops will get the shelters will be based on passenger volume, the potential for attracting new riders and the visibility of the stops, Kester said.
The new shelters also will include modifications to the curb and sidewalk known as bulb-outs, which reduce the road's width for pedestrians.
Bulb-outs already are in place at some IT stops, including those along Deschutes Way.
The new shelters are being paid for by local sales tax dollars, Bloom said. Last year, IT spent $20,000 on improvements to the bus stations, Bloom said.
The new shelters aren't the only difference riders will see this year.
The glass in some shelters is being fitted with a decorative window film similar to what is used to tint automobile windows. The film, which allows light through and gives a look similar to etched glass, will be installed in 20 shelters.
The material will make it more difficult for vandals to mar the glass, Kester said.
"It deters vandalism and enhances the look of the shelter," she said. "By deterring vandalism, we're also saving money."
Vandalism costs Intercity Transit about $15,000 each year, according to Kester, most of that is for replacing broken windows in bus shelters.
The amount of vandalism has decreased during the past several years, and the authority hopes upgrading facilities, adding lighting and other measures will make it drop further, she said.
Riders already have seen new technology in some shelters, including solar bus stops and flashing beacons that let drivers know there are people waiting at the bus stop and help riders feel safer. Bloom said some shelters will be fitted with new types of solar LED lighting that work well even in the often-cloudy conditions of the Northwest.
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