Applying Design Improvement Guidelines to Bus Stops in Tucson, AZ

Abstract

Public transit is a complex system with various factors that affect its service and use, such as regional geography, socioeconomic factors, land uses, and demographic characteristics. This paper aims to only examine and discuss the role of design in the public transit experience and apply more contemporary approaches of design that goes beyond traditional functionality at bus stops. The topic of bus stop design is significant because previous studies have shown that design plays an important role in maintaining and increasing ridership by improving public perception of transit. Improvements in the immediate physical urban environment can also encourage other modes of active transportation. Through an analysis of preliminary pilot study data and an in-depth literature review into the role, components, and techniques of bus stop design, feasible approaches of design are extracted and applied to local bus stop sites in Tucson, Arizona. Beyond implementation, this paper hopes to convey that bus stop improvements should be approached with moderation—considering what is truly needed based on ridership volume, price point, availability of space, technological advancements, or other extraneous factors. This study ultimately is of the view that the bus stop is a complex yet rarely studied space full of opportunity and hopes that novel approaches in design will take advantage of said opportunities to turn transit zones into coveted community spaces rather than zones of lower value.