Enhancing transit facilities through shelters, seating, lighting, bicycle parking, passenger information, and improved pedestrian access makes transit safer, more comfortable, and more convenient for users.
Improving transit facilities and amenities can increase transit ridership by making transit more comfortable, accessible, and reliable. Improvements such as shelters, lighting, passenger information, bicycle parking, and pedestrian access reduce barriers to transit use and encourage travelers to choose transit instead of driving alone.
For more details, see CAPCOA, T-46. Provide Transit Shelters, pg. 220-223 for VMT reduction quantification.
Prioritize investments in transit shelters, bike racks, and shade structures in communities with high percentages of zero-vehicle households, seniors, and youth populations. Ensure ADA accessibility and include culturally relevant wayfinding or art. Coordinate with community-based organizations to identify gaps in comfort, safety, and accessibility, especially at stops in mobile home parks and rural unincorporated areas.
Requires capital funding for construction and ongoing funding for maintenance. Potential sources include the State of Good Repair Program, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5307 and 5339 programs, California State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP), Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program, Active Transportation Program (ATP), and local transportation funding. StanRTA is already pursuing State of Good Repair funding to maintain and rehabilitate approximately 926 bus stops, including shelters, benches, signage, lighting, and related amenities.
San Joaquin RTD’s Downtown Transit Center provides a useful Central Valley example of a comprehensive transit facility. The center includes 20 sheltered, off-street bus stops on two passenger boarding platforms, full-length platform canopies, lighting, security, customer information, fare sales, and passenger amenities. The facility functions as a regional transfer hub connecting transit services throughout San Joaquin County.
StanRTA provides a particularly relevant local example. The agency is maintaining and rehabilitating approximately 926 bus stops, including cleaning and repairing shelters and pads and replacing or installing benches, shelters, signs, lighting, and other amenities. StanRTA also recently completed a new shelter at Hatch Road and Moffett Road in Ceres through a partnership with the City of Ceres and Turlock Irrigation District.
