Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ozark Regional Transit looks to improve bus stops
Ozark Regional Transit is back to within 10% of prepandemic ridership, and it’s planning to work with cities to begin making some improvements to bus stops in 2023.
Passenger amenities are limited, problems persist with accessibility for disabled people and other riders and few shelters exist for those waiting on buses, according to a study completed last year by Olsson Engineering. The study was commissioned by Ozark Regional Transit with a grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
Most stops are no more than a patch of bare ground and a sign. Ozark Regional Transit officials want to begin changing that.
Joel Gardner, executive director, said having the study in hand allows the transit system to approach the cities with quality information and ask for their support. The bus stop enhancement program has been presented to officials with the cities and counties with whom Ozark Regional Transit works. Now it’s waiting to see what those partners can do, budget-wise, to implement some of the recommendations.
“Really, what we need to be looking at is how are we going to take this data and move it forward,” Gardner told board members recently.
Gardner said he’s been invited by the Walton Family Foundation to apply for another grant to help implement bus stop improvements and manage the project. The cost of improvements in each city would be shared by those cities, but the percentage of that split has yet to be determined. Ozark Regional Transit’s budget for 2023 is forecast to be about $6.4 million in revenue and $6.2 million in expenditures. That does not include grants.
For 2023, local contributions to Ozark Regional Transit were: Fayetteville, $698,000; Springdale, $526,000; Rogers, $522,000; Bentonville, $220,000; Benton County, $23,000; Washington County, $23,000; Carroll County/Berryville, $15,000. Madison County did not contribute.
Peter Nierengarten, a Fayetteville representative on the board, asked about how the bus stop enhancement program squares with efforts to grow on-demand transit. On-demand differs from conventional transit in that there is no fixed route or schedule,
and buses are dispatched to pick up riders on a request basis, such as using a cellphone app.
“I’m curious to understand how you’re thinking about these bus stop enhancements as we continue to grow on-demand transit, which may not necessarily be married to bus stops,” Nierengarten said.
Gardner said there will always be a need for transfer stations and stops in high-use areas, such as around malls and other shopping areas, to provide a safe area for people to catch the buses. Gardner said improved stops will also still be needed along major corridors that will continue to be served by fixed transit routes.
“These enhanced stops are better than just a shelter out there, but they’re nowhere near as enhanced as a full transfer station,” Gardner said.
The region’s 10-year transit development plan, called Connect Northwest Arkansas, recommended three levels of bus stop improvements as general guidance. Level 1 stops are to have accessibility for disabled passengers, a bus sign and system information.
Level 2 stops add a shelter and bench as well as connections to sidewalks.
Level 3 stops add lighting for safety, trash cans, landscaping or planters and art or something to provide a sense of place.
The Olsson study adds a fourth.
Level 4 stops are mobility hubs with all available amenities, according to the study. They’re located in areas with high ridership and bus transfers take place there. Examples are Hillcrest Towers and the Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville, Walmart on Pleasant Street in Springdale, Pinnacle Hills Boulevard and Champions Drive in Rogers and Burns Hall on the Northwest Arkansas Community College campus in Bentonville.
The primary takeaway from the Olsson study is the vast majority of stops don’t have even the basic components for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. While a majority of stops do have a sidewalk nearby, 14% also have a concrete landing pad connected to the sidewalk.
For disabilities act compliance, a firm, stable surface, typically a concrete pad at least 8 feet by 5 feet and aligned with the front door of the bus, is required.
The landing pads are what allow riders using a wheelchair to be able to board a bus using a ramp or lift extending from the bus. For those able to walk to and from the stop, a concrete landing pad provides an unobstructed space free of tripping or other hazards and free of mud or other unstable surfaces.
The landing pads, in addition to bus stop signs, add visibility to the stops and makes clear the location where the front door of the bus will be. That helps passengers know where to wait for the bus and helps make passengers more visible to the bus driver.
Upgrading stops to a basic level of accessibility should be a primary goal, according to the study.
Fewer than 8% of stops surveyed have passenger amenities installed, other than a sign. Less than 6% have a shelter, according to the study. Passengers have no place to sit to wait for the bus and no shade or shelter from inclement weather.
Engineers with Olsson estimated cost for each type of improvement. Those cost estimates are broken into phases for each of the four cities that offer public transit, as well as steps Ozark Regional Transit can take to implement items in the plan.
Implementation costs are presented for each city for the improvement of existing stops. Then, costs are estimated for adding future improvements envisioned in Connect Northwest Arkansas. The future phases are one to two years, two to five years and five to 10 years.
Cost estimates are derived from numerous sources, including actual Ozark Regional Transit costs, estimates for amenities from vendors and known costs for other, similar projects.
It would cost more than $3.6 million to bring all the stops up to the recommended levels immediately, according to the study. Broken down further, in Fayetteville it would cost more than $1.4 million and in Springdale more than $900,000. In Rogers the estimated cost would be more than $770,000 and in Bentonville, more than $500,000. That’s why a phased approach is being taken.
Ridership on Ozark Regional Transit buses nosedived in March 2020 as the shutdown from the covid-19 pandemic kicked in and people started staying home. Ridership was down 52% at one point. Prepandemic ridership was about 260,000. As of the end of November it was about 220,000 this year. Prepandemic, buses were carrying about 1,000 passengers a day.