Tolar Manufacturing Company has been contracted to design and construct up to 100 Euro series bus shelters consisting of three custom styles designed for the Interurban Transit Partnership (The Rapid), which provides transit service to the region around Grand Rapids, Mich.
"We are excited to work with The Rapid again,” said Scott Williams, business development manager for Tolar Manufacturing Company. “Our team has worked on three custom designs for the Grand Rapids Metro area that reflect the character of the community, making every visit to the bus stop more welcoming and familiar.”
The contract is part of The Rapid's Bus Stop Improvement Program and an overall commitment to enhance passenger amenities guaranteeing to deliver 26 bus shelters in the first year, with an option to purchase an additional 74 bus shelters for a total of 100 during the next five years. The initial round of shelters is expected to be delivered by July 2024.
Tolar designed and fabricated three custom nine-foot Euro series shelter models, with 1/4-inch bronze tint twin wall polycarbonate roof panels and 3/8-inch clear tempered glass panels featuring “The Rapid” logo on the end and back walls to ensure maximum visibility, safety for riders and to promote the transit agency branding.
All shelters are designed to be fully ADA-compliant and to withstand wind loads of up to 125 mph. Two of the models are of standard full and half end wall styling and all three models are designed to be surface mounted without extensive footings for installation, with the final design being a true cantilever design, which ensures riders have a clear path of travel that can be installed at stops with limited right-of-way.
“Tolar has consistently demonstrated itself to be a strong partner in our previous contract, providing excellent delivery support and product quality,” said Maxwell Dillivan, AICP, senior planner for The Rapid. “Their products have stood up very well in The Rapid’s service area, showing excellent quality overall.”
