Riders want better bus stop shelters

Bus stop shelter upgrades worth more than $20 million are being planned across the city in response to overwhelming demand from riders.

Why it matters: Quality bus shelters protect waiting riders from harsh weather conditions, increase security and provide more information about bus arrivals.

• And enhancing the overall riding experience can increase ridership.

Driving the news: The city plans to replace 200 existing shelters and add another 150 with a portion of the $51 million for transit made available though the American Rescue Plan Act.

• Other expenditures include about $6 million for bus driver incentives and nearly $3 million to improve the downtown Rosa Parks Transit Center.
• The city sought rider input earlier this year on how to spend the ARPA money. Bus stop shelters received the highest ranking.
• A proposal to add surveillance cameras on buses or at stops was shelved after negative feedback.

What they're saying: Rodney Perry, 53, who takes the bus into the city from Troy six to seven days a week, tells Axios that he'd rather stand at some shelters because they're often dirty.

• "The ones along Woodward and different places, they don't maintain," Perry said while waiting for a bus near 8 Mile Road.

Between the lines: New stop features will include next-trip displays, security pylons, lighting, USB charging ports, additional seating and improved maintenance.

• At some stops without shelters, the city is planning to install seating.
• The improvements are expected to be made over the next three years, executive director of transit Mikel Oglesby told the City Council last week.

📬 This story is part of our focus on public transit. We want to hear about your experiences using different modes of transportation to get around the city.

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