ABQ Ride to implement new ‘Smart Shelters’ to bolster safety efforts
ABQ RIDE is implementing new high-tech bus shelters with improved safety and cleanliness.
“We’re ‘pulling out all the stops’ by investing in smarter and safer bus shelters,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “Customized to the unique needs of Albuquerque, they are yet another way we are prioritizing safe, enjoyable transit.”
ABQ RIDE leaders charged the organization’s resident welder, William Casias, to conceptualize a new bus shelter model to improve visibility and discourage improper use of bus stops while still providing weather protection and comfort. The resulting “thin line” model removes the bench and advertising panels, includes seats, wheelchair access and shade. The shelter was tested successfully at the intersection of Central Avenue and Coors Boulevard.
“The results were amazing; we immediately saw less loitering and more people using the bus shelter for its intended purpose,” said Albuquerque Transit Deputy Director Bobby Sisneros. “By recognizing an issue and using our internal talent to solve it, we’ve made a real difference.”
ABQ RIDE contracted Tolar Manufacturing to produce a similar design that will replace all 55 bus shelters on Central Avenue in two phases:
- Phase I: 14 stops in the International District by the end of 2025.
- Phase II: 41 more along Central Avenue by summer 2026.
Phase I began this spring with one shelter in front of the International District Library and another at the intersection of Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard. The former shelters will be repurposed in other transit corridors in need of shade and seating. Concrete work begins this month to prepare those sites. The remaining 53 Smart Shelters will be installed in the coming months once the existing shelters are relocated.
The new bus shelter “smart” elements include:
- Solar LED lighting.
- Real-time arrival screens and a button for audible information at select high-ridership locations.
- Upgraded trash cans to discourage tampering.
The agency says the new design replaces the current shelters that were installed up to 20 years ago, offering better lighting and visibility as well as fewer opportunities for hiding, laying down, or vandalizing.
"Albuquerque Police Officers, Transit Safety Officers and our ridership have a clearer view of the transit stop as they approach these open-design bus shelters," said Albuquerque Police Department Commander Gerard Bartlett. "We believe these bus shelter designs serve as an environmental approach to enhancing safety for all."
In addition to safety and cleanliness, the agency says the Smart Shelters will improve visual appeal and reinforce the rules to ride.
“Access to cleaner, safer bus stops helps encourage ridership and deliver the best service possible for the community,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “Rather than having to take away bus shelters due to safety concerns, through smart design we can keep our shelters while boosting safety and cleanliness.”