Input wanted on proposed Tempe transit shelter designs (2014, bus)

[Bungle]

https://mailchi.mp/tempe/transitshelter1319

Tempe is working to create new transit shelter designs that encourage ridership, support the city’s sustainability efforts, maximize shade and adjust to various locations.

Residents and transit users are encouraged to attend one of two public meetings to view and provide feedback on proposed shelter designs on:

Saturday, Jan. 18
9-11 a.m.
Tempe Transportation Center
200 E. Fifth St.

Tuesday, Jan. 21
6-8 p.m.
Pyle Adult Recreation Center
655 E. Southern Ave.

Tempe is looking for a design with at least three different size options that will be able to maximize shade and passenger comfort and visibility, while incorporating sustainable strategies and materials. The new design should also encourage increased ridership and provide a new iconic Tempe transit identity.

Tempe’s successful transit system is supported by over 800 transit stops, approximately 40 percent of which have shelters. The goal is to have shade at every stop, whether it is from a shelter, tree or adjacent building. Most of the unshaded locations have challenging site conditions, making it difficult to install the current design in the existing right of way.

Funding for shelter designs, fabrication and installations are through the annual bus stop improvements funding portion of the Tempe Transit Tax.

[Sno0909]

So...basically the homeless will have nicer places to sleep.

[exit2lef]

These all have potential -- not for sleeping but for allowing passengers to wait in comfort and dignity. Nevertheless, transit shelters, no matter how well designed, are limited in what they can do for shade. Most are designed more to protect people from rain and wind. When you design an artificial structure for shade, it generally works only at specific times of day, and depending on which way the shelter faces, those times may not be when shade is most needed. The best way to ensure more shade in urban areas is to maintain as many trees as possible and to allow taller buildings that are not set back from the street. Tempe is doing pretty well with those goals, so my hope is that whatever shelter design is chose will complement the shade from surrounding buildings and trees.

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by Sno0909

So...basically the homeless will have nicer places to sleep.

Hopefully, they'll do something like ridged seats to prevent that.

[Voebe]

Great post!

What's that funny thing sticking out above to the right on the second row of designs?

What they really should do is have them solar[-powered.

[Prickly Pear]

These are terrible for shade. They need to design transit shelters to provide shade any time when it isn't high noon. Imagine sitting 3 pm at one of these transit stations on Apache with the sun beating down on one side of your body during July. That's a reality for a lot of people and yet it's not considered in these designs.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

These are terrible for shade. They need to design transit shelters to provide shade any time when it isn't high noon. Imagine sitting 3 pm at one of these transit stations on Apache with the sun beating down on one side of your body during July. That's a reality for a lot of people and yet it's not considered in these designs.

...hence the request for public input

[kent_moore]

One of the bus stops in Singapore:


In Dubai: (Tempe should copy this given the high temp during summer)

[Bungle]

Originally Posted by kent_moore

One of the bus stops in Singapore:


In Dubai: (Tempe should copy this given the high temp during summer)

I wonder if that first one in Singapore is a one-off or if they have multiple all of the city. The goal of Tempe is to update them city wide with a singular concept that is also scaleable depending on the room at each stop.


The enclosed one would be tossed by Valley Metro who requires no enclosed walls/sides for safety and visibility reasons.

[Maroon197]

The ones they have now on mill seem fine. They’re classy and blend in well with the historic brick character of downtown. Not everything has to be some ultra modern design that will look dated in 10 years.