Enhancing safety initiatives, ABQ Ride plans to install 'Smart Shelters'
New High-Tech Bus Shelters to Enhance Safety and Encourage Ridership in Albuquerque
Albuquerque is set to introduce a new design for its bus shelters, with the first phase of the replacement project scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. The new shelters, dubbed "Smart Shelters," are part of an initiative to improve visibility, discourage improper use of bus stops, and enhance safety for all.
The new design, conceptualized by ABQ RIDE's resident welder William Casias, is being produced by Tolar Manufacturing Company Inc., a North American firm known for its digital smart shelter technology and high-quality transit shelter fabrication.
The Smart Shelters will replace the current shelters, which have been in place for up to 20 years. The open-design bus shelters are expected to improve visibility for officers approaching transit stops, as stated by Albuquerque Police Department Commander Gerard Bartlett.
The design includes several features aimed at improving the functionality and cleanliness of the shelters. For instance, the new shelters will feature solar LED lighting, real-time arrival screens, and an audible information button at select high-ridership locations. Upgraded trash cans are designed to discourage tampering.
Moreover, the Smart Shelters are designed to reinforce the rules to ride. Albuquerque Transit Deputy Director Bobby Sisneros stated that the new design has led to less loitering and more people using the bus shelter for its intended purpose.
The "thin line" model of the new bus shelters removes the bench, advertising panels, includes seats, wheelchair access, and shade. Concrete work begins this month to prepare the sites for the new Smart Shelters, with the remaining 53 to be installed in the coming months once the existing shelters are relocated.
Phase I of the replacement project began this spring with the installation of two new shelters, one in front of the International District Library and another at the intersection of Central Avenue and Louisiana Boulevard. Phase II of the replacement will include 41 more stops along Central Avenue by summer 2026.
The new design offers better lighting and visibility, making waiting for buses safer and more comfortable for passengers. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller stated that ABQ RIDE is investing in new high-tech bus shelters to deliver the best service possible for the community. Transit Director Leslie Keener added that access to cleaner, safer bus stops encourages ridership.
With these new Smart Shelters, ABQ RIDE aims to create a more sustainable and efficient public transportation system, serving as an environmental approach to improving the city's infrastructure.
