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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 & prior - RTDM E M O R A N D U M T0: ~Planning Commission FROM: Sandra Tulloss, Planning Intern ~ RE: RTD Bus Shelters DATE: August 13, 1993 The RTD Bus Shelter ProQram Ordinarily, RTD builds and maintains their own bus shelters at their own expense or occasional cost-share. However, RTD has not had a bus shelter program for the past 2-3 years and they do not anticipate one in the foreseeable £uture. Therefore, as a city, we most likely must build and maintain any new bus shelters ourselves. Only the City o£ Boulder has erected and maintained its own bus shelters in recent years. Site Selection The City must identify bus sheiter sites, subject to RTD approval. RTD already maintains bus shelters at most of Wheat Ridge's major intersections. When RTD operates the Bus Shelter Program, it usually requires that a minimum of 40 passengers per day use the stop in order £or it to gualify for a shelter. RTD only occasionally considers the needs of special populations (i.e., the elderiy) when selecting sheiter sites. If the City desires to build bus shelters, the City will be responsible for obtaining all easements on private and public property for new bus shelter sites. Other cities have encountered only a few problems in obtaining such easements from owners, but it can take a significant amount of time. Planning Department staff have identified several potential sites. The list of sites is attached. Additionally, the Planning Dep't staff will be showing slides of both the sites and potential designs at the August 18 Planning Commission meeting. The sites' owners have not been identi£ied or contacted, therefore, their feelings are unknown. Sites are o£ten built in pairs. For example, dn Wadsworth Blvd. at 38th Ave. there are RTD built bus sheiters both Northbound and Southbound on Wadsworth Blvd. Design. Construction and Costs The City will have to construct the bus shelters, subject to RTD design approval, at city expense. RTD's main criteria is compiiance with the Americans' With Disabilities Act. There are several designs available. It is extremely di££icult to determine the full cost of constructing a bus shelter because several city departments are usually involved and each site is unique. Most o£ the cost estimates presented here are the minimum costs, assuming no difficulties, for preliminary planning purposes only. The £irst potential design is RTD's "New Design" with partial concrete walls and enclosed glass. These shelters are designed to withstand tornadoes. RTD's estimated costs for construction are $12,000-$20,000 depending on the individual site. The second possibility is Daytech brand prefabricated shelters. Boulder, Greenwood Village, and RTD use the Daytech shelters. Daytech offers several designs, most of which are aluminum frames with glass walls. The city can replace the glass with a glass substitute if it anticipates vandalism. Daytech provides design blueprints and the unassembled bus shelters £or approximately $3,000 plus shipping/handling and sales tax. As of 1991, the City of Boulder's shipping costs were approximately $500. The city actually pays £or and constructs the bus shelters including designing and pouring a concrete pad. The City of Boulder estimates its construction costs were approximately $1,000 per uncomplicated site in 1991 but this figure is probably too low. Additional £eatures can be added to the Daytech bus shelters including Easy Access benches (Daytech cost $100+ each), Advertising Display Costs (Daytech cost $1,000+ each), Lights (Daytech costs $150-300 each), and Trash Receptacles (Daytech costs $80 each). Shipping, handling, sales tax, installation, and maintenance costs are extra. Maintenance The City is responsible for ail maintenance of any new bus shelters. Other cities are unable to estimate their maintenance costs. The Public Works Department usually assumes maintenance responsible. Other cities' biggest maintenance problem appears to be broken glass panes. The City of Boulder has had 3-4 glass panes broken in the past two years on approximately 6 bus shelters. The windows are broken by vandals or automobiles "kicking up" rocks. This is ordinarily included in basic maintenance costs. Advertising in the Shelters Neither RTD nor any other Denver-Metropolitan city installs advertising in bus shelters. The City of Boulder has installed advertising dispiays £or city mottoes. Ad-bench enjoys an uno£ficial monopoly on advertising at Denver-area bus stops. Unof£icially, RTD appears to frown upon advertising at bus stops. Advertising dispiay frames are available on Daytech bus shelters for approximately $1,000 pius shipping, handling, tax, installation, and maintenance. Potential Bus Shelter Sites Bus Location # of Passeng ers Route per day 100 Kipling St. at 38th Ave.-both directions 56 OR 100 East side of Kipling St. at Everitt Middle School 12 (northbound) 100 Kipling at 44th Ave.-both directions 32 32 32nd Ave. at Wheat Ridge High School-both directions 54 76 City Hall: West side of Wadsworth Blvd, at Crown Hill Entrance (southbound) 1 East side of Wadsworth Blvd. at Olingers or 1 Beth Eden Church (northbound) 19 76 Wadsworth at 32nd Ave.-both directions 30 38 North side o£ 38th Ave. at Lutheran Aospital 24 (westbound) 38 38th Ave. at Wheat Ridge Middle School/Reed St. 38 Stadium-both directions 44 44th Ave. at Fieid St./City Recreation area 19 -both directions with emphasis on south side of 44th-eastbound) 51 West side of Sheridan at 38th Ave. (southbound) 52 Regional Transportation District June 10, 1988 Mr. Michael J. Smith, City Manager P.O. Box 638 Wheat Ridge, CO 80034 Dear Mr. Smith: Uhh'i , 1600 Blake Street Denver,COloratlo 80202-1399 303/628 9000 In an effort to increase the number of passenger shelters for RTD passengers and encourage private enterprise to provide these shelters, the RTD Board has taken action in support of placing advertising shelters at bus stop locations throughout the District. RTD's support is in the form of establishing only minimal controls on advertisers who wish to place shelters at bus stop locations on the public right-of-way. RTD's position is that advertising in the public right-of-way is in the purview of municipalities and other local governments. The District respects the ordinances and regulations which each local government has enacted regarding issuances of permits. We also know that several communities within the District are opposed to advertising in the public right-of-way and we respect their right to maintain this prerogative. RTD has established its own Commercial Advertising Policy; a copy of this policy is attached with the request that any advertising shelter permits stipulate adherence to this Policy Statement. The attached statement indicates RTD's position on advertising shelters and the District's intent to coordinate and cooperate with local governments and shelter advertising firms. RTD's position is that an initial test program of ten advertising shelters within the District- allows opportunity for local governments and RTD to monitor and evaluate the contributions which this program can make to the community and to transit passengers. The posiiion statement indica-Les the stipulations which Riu" ccnsiders relevant in initiating the program. It is our intent that local governments will support this program and ease local advertising controls to allow the test program to occur. David Apodaca, Construction Coordinator, will be the District's contact for coordinating this acitivity. Please call Mr. Apodaca at 573-2341 to coordinate permit requests from shelter advertising firms. Your assistance in this matter is appreciated. Sincerely, Richard D. Bauman Assistant General t4anager Transit System Planning and Development RDB/brd An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer ADVERTISIN6 SHELTERS LOCATED AT RTD BUS STOPS (Based on action taken by Board of Directors, April 5, 1988) _ RTD is interested in establishing a test program to allow private firms to install ten bus passenger shelters with advertising on public rights-of-way at bus stops throughout the District. The District respects advertising controls which have been established by local governments within the District's service area and believes that granting of permits for shelter installation is within the purview of these local governments. We know that several communities within the District are opposed to advertising in the public right-of-way and we respect their right to this prerogative. This test provides an opportunity for cooperation between RTD and communities which are interested in participating in a shelter advertising program. The District is interested in hearing comments from local governments who issue permits to shelter advertisers during this test period. David Apocada, Construction Coordinator at RTD (573-2341) will coordinate with local governments which participate in the test program. The District also believes that advertising in passenger shelters can be a positive influence on the economy and the community as well as an enhancement for the convenience of passengers. RTD supports the installation of advertising shelters located at bus stops in public rights-of-way in communities throughout the Regional Transportation District. In an effort to provide opportunities for private enterprise while assuring respect for local government controls, RTD takes the position that a test program for advertising shelters at bus stops along the public right-of-way be administered under the following conditions: Opportunities for Private Enterprise If properly administered, we believe private advertising shelters can be an asset to transit and to the community. Up to ten shelters (total) may be installed at bus stops in the District as long as they: 1. Provide bus route information 2. Display advertising on only one panel 3.. Provide light 4. Are regularly maintained and kept clean 5. Display information about the shelter owner's name and telephone number 6. Conform to city/county ordinances related to advertising content 7. Design must be compatible with RTD shelters Shelter advertisers may contact RTD to arrange for replacement of RTD passenger shelters with an advertising shelter. Every consideration will be given by RTD to relocation of existing District shelters providing that the shelter advertiser has taken appropriate steps with the local entity. Local Government Role In most instances, cities and counties issue permits to shelter advertisers on a site-by-site basis. The advertisers in turn secure an advertising agreement of some duration with a client. In this light, bus stops take on the appearance of a commodity theoretically, for which permits could be bid on by competing shelter advertisers. To avoid RTD involvement in this competitive arena, RTD takes the position of providing bus stop disposition information only as a matter of coordination with local entities. RTD staff will direct all calls or inquiries from shelter companies as well as all citizen complaints concerning the shelters to the local public works agency. Local governments are requested to contact RTD directly to assure bus stop location information, verify information relative to RTD which the advertiser may have provided, and to report sites where permits have been granted. Prior to authorizing a permit, local governments are requested to contact RTD to verify that the site is currently an RTD bus stop and that there are no plans for relocation of the stop. Local regulations and policies governing advertising shelter permit issuance and revision should be thorough and effective. At a minimum, we believe the permit should stipulate: Right of first refusal to the permitee when RTD plans a bus stop relocation - Adherence to RTD's Commercial Advertising Policy - Design must be compatible with RTD shelters - A specified time period within which a permitee must relocate an advertising shelter when caused by RTD bus stop changes. Shelter owner's name and phone number be clearly displayed on the shelter so complaint calls will be received directly by the company. This will also provide easy identification by the local government since shelters may be similar in appearance. Reuoke perriit when advertiser fails to properly maintain and clean the shelter and assure that an offending shelter is removed. RTD Role RTD's position is that advertising in the public right-of-way is in the purview of municipalities and other local governments. RTD will not initiate installation of advertising shelters at bus stops along the public right-of-way, but it will assist in the review of permit requests and will monitor advertising shelter locations and report any citizen complaints to the appropriate local government. The District will provide an opportunity for private enterprise to install advertising shelters at bus stop locations in the public right-of-way. This will be accomplished by shelter advertisers working directly with local governments. In the initial phase, before final policy is adopted, up to ten shelters may be installed by shelter advertisers in the District. RTO will monitor these ten sites for the purpose of evaluating the program. Comments from local governments which have issued permits are encouraged. Within 6 months after advertising shelters have been installed at ten locations> the RTD Board of Directors will consider expanding the number of locations.