Client Summary
Tranzito and Vector Media are carrying out a large-scale overhaul to improve shade, amenities and the mass transit experience in LA. With an eye toward advanced technologies in the runup to hosting the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics, the city is transforming its bus shelters as network adding 3,000 upgraded bus shelters as high-tech mobility hubs.
Additional contractors selected by Tranzito-Vector include Fehr & Peers (mobility), Studio One Eleven (permitting), SOM (design), Designworks BMW (interactive design), AP Construction (site work), Tolar (manufacturing), VConn (digital display) and GDS (ePaper screens).
Project Summary
Shelter, shade, safety and comfort: Well-designed, new bus shelters and mobility amenities across LA neighborhoods that meet the City’s goals and address combating climate change
Reflecting LA’s diverse neighborhoods: An iconic, timeless design for new bus stops that highlight the ‘City of Neighborhoods’ and LA’s eclectic and optimistic culture
A smart LA that benefits everyone: Street furniture and technology innovations for smart mobility accessible and beneficial to all
Collaborative approach and revenue generating: Long-term success that was in complete alignment with the City’s goals
The StreetsLA program, part of Los Angeles’ Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program (STAP), prioritizes shelter, shade, safety and comfort for the city’s transit riders while simultaneously creating more ‘curbside’ management. With Black & Veatch executing the program management function in the rollout of the new shelters, the project will reimagine curbside functionality with state-of-the-art, interactive amenities, leveraging Black & Veatch’s expertise in deploying distributed infrastructure at scale in major urban cities.
The planned upgrades include making shelter components connected and controllable, complete with digital displays with real-time bus arrival and departure information, emergency phones, advertising and intuitive lighting technology. Other features of the shelters, which in many cases will be solar powered, include the ability to convey city messages and emergency broadcasts as well as weather canopies to protect passengers from the elements.
Improving universal access is central to the project in order to provide easier last-mile connections via micro-mobility docks and delivery package lockers to mitigate some of the equity issues in the city. The new structures will be built on a completely open architecture enabling them to evolve, with the potential to incorporate new features as technology emerges.
“We believe it’s time to evolve the bus stop. As smart mobility experts, our aim is to help cities transform today’s bus stops into tomorrow’s mobility hubs, creating a network of interconnected infrastructure nodes that offer both passive and active communication on the streets – and to provide amenities and comforts that everyday bus riders need.” (Gene Oh, Tranzito’s CEO)
