Santa Cruz Metro has been awarded $508,059 from the Clean California program to install 23 bus shelters, 23 bus benches and 18 trash cans at bus stops, mostly along the Watsonville-Santa Cruz transit corridor.
A study funded by Caltrans found 69% of Metro’s 710 bus stops had no shelter and 31% lacked benches.
Shelters make it easier for passengers to know where to wait, according to Metro staff, who will identify bus stops where shelters and benches would make the most positive impact.
The bus stop project is a collaboration among Clean California, Caltrans District 5 and Metro. The goal is to increase the attractiveness of bus stops and address critical needs in the bus system while aligning with the California State Transportation Agency’s climate objectives.
The new bus shelters will have a covered area to protect passengers from rain, and will include schedules, maps, and route information.
Most Metro riders in the Watsonville-Santa Cruz corridor are seniors, students, people with disabilities and low-income individuals who rely on bus service. About 65% earn less than $24,000 per year and nearly 60% report riding Metro five or more days per week.
Metro pressure washes its shelters, benches and trash cans and removes trash.
The new trash cans will feature Franz Lanting’s images from the One Ride at a Time program, which gives bus riders the opportunity to protect the Monterey Bay’s natural resources. Every ride on a Metro bus contributes to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Bay of Life Fund.
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Information: scmetro.org.