STAP is managed by StreetsLA, a division of the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works that is hoping to enhance the quality of life for Angelenos by addressing the adverse effects of excessive heat caused by climate change on LA’s streets. Despite the city streets becoming hotter, low-income communities continue to be disproportionately affected by the heat, as there are fewer trees to seek shade under in low-income neighborhoods compared to wealthier neighborhoods. Because bus riders in LA are disproportionately low-income and rely on public transportation, improving bus shelter infrastructure with shade canopies and other rider amenities is an equity issue and will improve the transit experience for all. Our client, smart mobility operator Tranzito, is delivering this project to the City’s Bureau of Streets Services.

Our Solution:

The new bus shelter infrastructure will be installed at bus stops in communities that have the greatest need along the busiest public transportation routes. The new state-of-the-art shelters will provide shade canopies, increased accessibility and comfort, enhanced safety features such as lighting, amenities including phone chargers, digital displays showing real-time bus arrivals, water, public Wi-Fi, and artwork by local artists. The shelters will also be designed to include transportation amenities, including scooter or bike docks, e-lockers etc.

We are putting together a sequence of activities to get shade out as quickly and equitably as possible. The project accounts for approximately 40% of all bus stops in Los Angeles. We are refreshing sites and have nothing currently and it’s part of the way to get shelter quicker. We are transporting the existing bus shelters to the spaces that currently have nothing, and then updating the ones that had shelters in place previously. Eventually all of the stops will be replaced with the new technology. The first new shelter will be installed in July 2023.

We’re collaborating on the design of the shelters with SOM, Fehr & Peers, and BMW Designworks. While the design of the bus shelters, influenced by California’s modernist legacy, is important, design isn’t the issue that has prevented more bus amenities from being provided, but rather complex bureaucratic processes that make it challenging to be nimble in installing and scaling the reach of this important infrastructure. We’re working with the City and with a multi-disciplinary team to simplify the permitting process and implement a coordinated design-build strategy to overcome the barriers to installing more shelters on the ground. It’s the type of project that exemplifies our commitment to applying design thinking to improve urban life.

Impact:

Through the STAP program, Studio One Eleven is furthering our mission to attract people to the public realm by deploying shelters that are comfortable and support an increased use of transit and alternative modes of transportation.

For more information about this project, please visit the Tranzito Vector website.