Riders want better bus stop shelters
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Riders at a shelter near Woodward Avenue and 8 Mile Road. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios
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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