CapMetro is continuing community engagement efforts through the spring on Transit Plan 2035, a 10-year strategic plan for enhanced public transportation infrastructure in Central Texas. The preliminary online feedback phase ended on Oct. 27, with many survey respondents indicating a need for more benches and shelters at existing CapMetro bus stops.
In a September memo obtained by KUT, a top agency official reported 29% of CapMetro’s 2,511 bus stops have overhead shelters and 47% have benches installed.
Sharmila Mukherjee, CapMetro’s executive vice president, said in the memo the agency follows different guidelines to determine the kinds of amenities needed at each bus stop and their priority level. Each stop is analyzed in relation to population demographics, proximity to community centers and how frequently buses serve the area.
“CapMetro has an ongoing effort to maintain, repair and replace amenities once they have met their useful life,” Mukherjee said. “The effort to manage existing amenities is extensive and limits the agency’s ability to expand the number of amenities in the system.”
CapMetro has budgeted $2.6 million for bus stop amenities improvements in fiscal year 2025 and a total of $11.6 million between 2025 and 2029, a CapMetro spokesperson said in an email. The agency’s total budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year is $704.8 million.
At least six different buses make a stop at San Jacinto and 21st North outside of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, where there is one bench, but no shelter. Government sophomore Yunna Castanon uses this stop frequently.
While Castanon shared concerns about prolonged sun exposure without shelter, she said lower visibility at night makes navigating inconsistent infrastructure even more challenging.
“I don’t really feel comfortable with sitting or standing in one location without proper lighting because I feel like it is very inviting for someone that wants to cause harm to see that I am going to be in one place, standing and not walking or in a point where I could run away,” Castanon said.
Within the greater UT campus, some stops without a shelter, bench or both are located along CapMetro’s top ridership routes, including Route 7, which stops at 311 MLK/San Jacinto, and Route 10, which stops at 801 Clyde Littlefield/Red River, among others.
Castanon said there were many instances where she opted for a ride-share service instead of riding the bus over concerns about unsafe conditions at bus stops.
The University partners with Lyft to provide $100 of free rides to all students monthly, valid between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. When Castanon leaves campus around 8 or 9 p.m., she has to pay out of pocket.
“Even if I live close by, a Lyft to where I live is about $6 (or) $7, and if I use that three times a week, that’s like $21 to $25 already that I could be using on groceries and other expenses that I need that more for,” Castanon said.
Alex Karner, associate professor in the graduate program in Community and Regional Planning, said improving transportation equity involves public engagement and quantitative measurement like distribution of funding or investment infrastructure across a city. Ultimately, he said the focus should be on everyday rider needs, from planning to implementation.
“You want to build a relationship with the community when there’s not something on the line,” Karner said.
