Figure 4-5: Median Treatment to Discourage Unsafe Pedestrian Midblock Crossing21

4.5.3 Safety While Accessing/Travelling to Bus Stops Transit riders should be able to access transit from their origin point or reach their destination from transit with minimal risk of being harmed by a vehicle, being a victim of a crime, or potentially being injured.13 Ultimately, pedestrians should feel as if they are at minimal risk.13 This section will discuss traffic safety recommendations to improve safety at and around bus stops, and will cover the following topics related to traffic safety:

» Safe Access to Bus Stops » Coordinate with Local Jurisdictions » Collision Studies » Safety Education

Safe Access to Bus Stops

Safe pedestrian and bicycle access to a bus stop is critical to the transit agency and the rider. If people who walk and bicyclists do not feel safe and secure, they will not have a desire to walk or ride to the bus stop.13 If a person is injured or harmed walking to or from a bus stop, there may be substantial costs put upon local governments and transit agencies if the conditions were unsafe.13 Providing contiguous, fully accessible, well maintained, and designated walking paths with high-visibility crossings of roadways, and bicycle facilities can reduce risk of liability for both local governments and transit agencies.13 Well maintained sidewalks and high-visibility crosswalks in the area around the bus stop and amenities such as benches, shade shelters, and lighting at stops and stations, are vital for pedestrian and bicyclist comfort and safety.11 Successful transit systems provide convenient and safe pedestrian and bicycle access as well as comfortable waiting areas, which can all support greater transit use.11 Comfortable, well maintained seats, sidewalks and shade structures at bus stops will encourage more people to use transit in general.

Consistent with the Omnitrans Transit Design Guidelines (2013), of the three possible locations to place a bus stop relative to an intersection, the far-side of the intersection is the safest because pedestrians will cross the street at the intersection behind the bus and will be visible to following cars. This is safer than a stop located on the near-side of the intersection where people who walk and bicyclists would have to cross the intersection in front of the bus and be hidden by the bus to following cars. Mid-block bus stop locations are least preferred because people that are running late may cross the street mid-block and be at risk of getting hit by a car.

Wherever possible, the local jurisdiction should provide a sidewalk through-zone in front of, or behind, the bus stop bench and shelter for pedestrians going past the bus stop. Omnitrans should ensure all bus stops are easily identifiable with signage, a bus schedule, and its territory is well defined to discourage non-transit users from occupying it for other reasons. Omnitrans should locate bus stops as feasible to shorten walking distances, reduce street crossings, or improve safety at street crossings for people accessing transit at each stop.11

5 shows the option of installing a physical barrier in the median to reduce the risk of people crossing the street midblock to get to a bus stop. Another option is to install a protected mid-block crossing with pedestrian refuge and low growing plantings.

FIGURE 4-5: Median Treatment to Discourage Unsafe Pedestrian Midblock Crossing21

Coordinate with local Jurisdictions

In most cases, transit agencies are limited in their ability to improve sidewalks and curb ramps around bus stops.11 Transit agencies frequently lack jurisdictional authority to address sidewalks on property not owned by the agency.11 To improve safety for their riders, transit agencies form partnerships with other organizations and local government agencies to provide contiguous and safe sidewalks and bicycle facilities especially those that own and maintain public rights-of-way.11 It should be noted that Omnitrans currently coordinates and partners with all 16 member jurisdictions to implement all recommended improvements.

Examples of current Omnitrans coordination efforts include working with local jursdictions to identify areas in need of improvement in the pedestrian and bicycle network; building priority project lists based on pedestrian and bicycle safety; and working with property owners to improve pedestrian connectivity to bus stops. As a part of this plan, Omnitrans is building relationships with citizens and local community groups to improve pedestrian safety for their riders and gather essential information about pedestrian and bicycle access issues and needs.11 Typical strategies include working with residents to identify pedestrian and bicycle access issues that need improvement, educating residents about pedestrian, bicyclist and transit safety issues, and working with community members to develop solutions to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.11

In addition, those who regularly walk and bicycle to and from bus stops or transit stations are most familiar with pedestrian safety issues along their routes. Ongoing Omnitrans coordination with transit riders helps collect this insider knowledge.11 To take advantage of this information, transit rider questionnaires have helped gather feedback about safety and access conditions at and around bus stops and stations.11 It should be noted that Omnitrans regularly surveys riders to check on riding conditions and needed improvements. This Plan also included rider engagement about safety issues that need to be addressed.