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Bus and Transit Shelter Proposal April 8, 2003 Who: Outdoor Promotions, Inc., Fort Collins, CO. (Craig Piernot) proposed to enter into an agreement with the City to provide shelters at selected (and mutually agreed upon) bus stops along existing routes. What: Outdoor Promotions bus shelters are self-contained areas with three walls, a roof~ a bench, interior safety lighting, a trash receptacle, and a clean, non-slip floor. The walls are made of a see-through polymer material for safety and weather-protecting purposes. Some are lighted; some are also heated. The design is submitted to the City for approval. The shelters have built in panels for advertising. ('rhe City's current open-air benches have advertising on the bench backs.) Cost: Outdoor Promotions describes their program as a public-private partnership-- the shelter cost and maintenance is privately funded, paid for by the advertising in the shelter panels, which are normally placed on public right-of-way. Metro Transit has a very limited budget to provide and maintain few shelters throughout the Metro area. Similarly, the city has not budgeted for such a service. In lieu of permit fees, Outdoor Promotions pays an 8% fee based on advertising revenue to add shelters, transit amenities or added maintenance. Why: Bus shelters are an integral component of the transit system; a weather protected, safe location to wait for the bus. Studies have shown that providing such shelters is a convenience to the riding public and also boosts ridership. \Vhere: Bus benches may be placed in specific locations, based on the bus route plan, after review by the Traffic Safety Committee and issuance of a permit by the Public Works Director. The City cunently has approximately XX bus stops with benches on public right-of-way in areas of commercial, school, or institutional land uses. Outdoor Promotions offers a program whereby they would propose shelter locations in commercial areas on bus routes (currently up to 25 sites), meet with adjoining properties owners, meet with elected officials, confer with Metro Transit, Ramsey County and City staff before requesting a permit for the site, generally on public right-of-way. Outdoor Promotions is also meeting with the other six cities in the 35W Coalition to detem1ine the feasibility of creating a consistent bus shelter and identification package at key bus stop locations, primarily along north-south collector streets where routes have been established such as Rice Street, Lexington, Hamline, Snelling, Cleveland, Long Lake Road, Silver Lake Road, Highway 65 and others. Outdoor Promotions by contract will remove shelters within 30 days of discontinuance of a bus stop or upon request of the City due to redevelopment, hazards or traffic routes.