New $75,000 bus shelter dedicated at Pine and Peoria
BY BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
11/28/12 at 7:16 AM
Read continuing coverage of Tulsa’s City Council.
When cold winds blow and precipitation falls, local bus riders can now take cover at the new North Tulsa Gateway Bus Shelter dedicated Tuesday.
The $75,000 structure at the corner of East Pine Street and North Peoria Avenue is far more than the small, boxy metal shelters seen at many bus stops around the city.
Built of brick, with a vast green roof and a long concrete bench, the shelter can easily accommodate at least two dozen people as they wait for the next bus along Tulsa's busiest route.
"Isn't this beautiful?" Mayor Dewey Bartlett asked the crowd gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"We know very well that we wish our buses were running more frequently and are working toward that as a goal.
"But it is unfair of us to ask people to wait out in the open, exposed to the elements. Putting up more shelters is the least we can do for our customers."
Peoria Route 105 handles 15 to 20 percent of the city's 12,000 daily bus rides.
The public-private project was jointly funded by the city, Tulsa Transit, Tulsa Beautification Foundation, George Kaiser Family Foundation and Bank of Oklahoma.
Esther Ogans of the Lacy Park Task Force said the shelter was a necessary improvement to the area.
"There are a lot of residents still riding the bus," she said. "Thank God I'm not one of them. But this bus shelter will help make the journey easier for people."
One of the top requests from bus riders is for the addition of shelters, Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright said.
There are about 200 of the standard shelters at the city's roughly 1,500 bus stops, with plans to add 30 more. Not all of the bus stops have enough space to accommodate shelters, Cartwright said.
Tulsa Transit gets capital funding each year from the federal government.
Shelters that are added have to be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, meaning they have to be large enough for a wheelchair and accessible by a sidewalk.
The City Council is looking at restructuring options to cut down Tulsa's average wait time between buses from 52 minutes to about 30 minutes. That discussion is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
Original Print Headline: $75,000 new bus shelter is dedicated
Brian Barber 918-581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Councilor David Patrick speaks, while Mayor Dewey Bartlett looks on, during the dedication ceremony of a new bus shelter along Tulsa's busiest route. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
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