AGENDA #5a
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
J.B. Culpepper, Planning Director Stephen Spade, Transportation Director David Bonk, Long Range and Transportation Coordinator |
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SUBJECT: |
Response to Transportation Board Petition for Bus Stop Standards |
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DATE: |
February 26, 2007 |
This memorandum responds to a petition (Attachment 1) submitted by the Transportation Board concerning the development of bus stop design standards. We will work with the Transportation Board to prepare bus stop design standards that address the appearance and design of the stops, and reflect the need to incorporate electronic message signs and improved lighting.
On September 28, 2006, the Transportation Board voted 6-0 to request that the Council direct staff to prepare bus stop design standards that will standardize the appearance and design of the stops, and reflect the need to incorporate electronic message signs and improve lighting at Chapel Hill Transit bus stops.
We recognize the importance of providing design standards for bus shelters to meet the safety and comfort needs of riders and to encourage transit use. Lighting and electronic message boards are particularly relevant to the enhancement of a transit system’s safety, convenience, and utility. Standardization of these features has the potential to make bus stops more identifiable to the public, particularly those unfamiliar with the transit system, and to increase the attractiveness of the stops. Other provisions at transit stops may include: shelter from sun, wind, and rain; benches; placards with route information; trash and recycling bins; and emergency phones.
We believe that development of bus stop design standards that incorporate use of solar energy for electricity needs may help meet the Town’s Community Carbon Reduction (CRed) goals. Use of sustainable energy at stops will decrease the need for conventional electricity, thereby reducing the carbon emissions attributed to Town municipal operations. Facilitating transit use by increasing the safety, convenience, and utility of the system has the potential to decrease the carbon emissions attributed to single-occupancy vehicle trips that occur in Chapel Hill.
The Million Solar Roofs Steering Committee, which was created to accelerate the use of solar energy locally through education and outreach, has developed a proposal for a solar bus shelter demonstration project (Attachment 2). The Committee has assessed existing bus shelters in Chapel Hill, and developed an inventory of stops that have adequate sun exposure to harvest solar energy. Several shelters were identified as suitable locations for a solar-powered demonstration project, based on their solar exposure, visibility, and marketing potential, including the stop on East Franklin St. at Caribou Coffee. Modifications to the shelter would allow the lighting and the electronic message sign to be powered by solar energy. The committee will fund the demonstration project through donation of materials and labor. The committee would like to use solar energy to power other eligible stops in the future, including stops that currently lack lighting.
We will review design standards with the Transportation Board and make recommendations based on the safety and comfort needs of passengers.
Staff will work with the Transportation Board to prepare bus stop design standards that will standardize the appearance and design of the stops, and reflect the need to incorporate electronic message signs and improved lighting. We will also assess the cost implications of standardizing bus stop design.
Staff will also work with the Million Solar Roofs Steering Committee to incorporate solar power into an existing bus shelter. The results of the demonstration project, including an assessment of the cost implications for future solar installations at bus stops, will be considered as part of the development of bus stop design standards.
Staff will develop a report of the cost implications of standardizing bus stop design.
Staff will assess the potential impact of solar powered bus shelters and bus stops on the Town’s municipal CRed goal.