NC 54 Corridor Pedestrian Improvements

Chapel Hill Transit manages over 500 bus stops in the Chapel Hill, Carrboro, UNC Hospitals and University of North Carolina area. We strive to have all our bus stops be accessible to people of all mobility levels. Chapel Hill Transit is constantly evaluating our stops for both accessibility and amenities using an established criteria for stop enhancements.

Bus Stop Improvement Plan

The public's first impression of Chapel Hill Transit and its services is the bus stop. It is important that our bus stops are easily identifiable, safe, accessible, and a comfortable place to wait for the bus. Although, there will likely always be underdeveloped bus stops, we feel that it is important to begin taking steps to improve our bus stops and our customers experience while waiting for the bus. We also feel that our bus stops and shelters in particular, in addition to providing a safe and attractive waiting place for our customers, should also make a positive contribution to the streetscapes in the communities we serve. Recently, we have expanded this program to include a collaboration with the Town’s Community Art & Culture Division to bring more artistic vibrancy to the daily commute, provide more access to public art and showcase local and regional artists. To learn more about our Art Shelters and Civil Rights Shelters please visit: https://www.chapelhillarts.org/arts-experiences/public-art/art-transit/      

In 2020, Chapel Hill Transit initiated a bus stop improvement project to identify necessary improvements for the over 500 bus stops in our system – which includes Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus. Our initial assessment demonstrated that many of our stops/shelters, most of which were placed prior to 1990, would benefit from improvements to make them accessible to customers of all mobility levels. Following a review of the assessment, the Transit Partners Committee identified the following priorities for improvements:

• Upgrade existing stops with shelters to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

• We currently have 120 shelters at 100 stop locations (some locations have more than one shelter).

• Coordinate improvements with existing development projects and/or planned sidewalk/greenway improvements.
• Address safety concerns and customer concerns.
• Target improvements along routes that serve neighborhoods/areas where public housing and community services are located.

Since 2020, 20 stops have been upgraded to meet ADA requirements and over 60 stops are in the design phase. The average cost per stop can range from $14,000 to $55,000. In 2023, Chapel Hill Transit completed a bus stop inventory to help identify and prioritize the next round of stops. Our primary focus will be on making stops accessible to customers, with additional focuses on safety The map below shows the stops that have been upgraded and are in the design phase (Purple= Under Construction, Green= Completed, Yellow= Design Phase). These investments are critical for our customers and consistent with our goal of having all bus stops be easily identifiable, safe, accessible, and a comfortable place for customers to wait for buses, the Town of Chapel Hill’s mission of building a community where people thrive and the Chapel Hill Town Council’s strategic goal of “Connected Community”.

Shelters

Chapel Hill Transit is testing a number of different shelter styles

Funding 

Funding for these improvements is provided by the Chapel Hill Transit budget, Orange County Transit Plan and Grant Funding. Some improvements are also funded by developers and NCDOT as part of road projects.

The cost for each stop varies based on a number of factors including design work, real estate acquisition, infrastructure impacts (e.g. stormwater), construction and shelter size. The full cost to build a bus stop can range between $15,000 and $30,000.

Solar Powered Real Time Pilot Sign Project

Chapel Hill Transit has also entered into a contract with Connexionz – for the purchase and installation of small, solar powered real-time information signs. This is a grant funded pilot project ($97,515) that will allow us to place around 25 solar powered signs at stops throughout the system that don’t currently have NextBus signs. These signs will help improve access to real-time information, especially for customers without access to web enabled devices and our customers from more vulnerable populations. 

Park and Rides  

In addition to investing in shelters improvements at park and ride locations, Chapel Hill Transit invested in solar powered LED lighting at the park and rides we manage:

• Eubanks Park and Ride
• Southern Village Park and Ride
• Jones Ferry Park and Ride

Share Your Ideas

While our current funding for shelters/stops has been obligated to the projects noted above, we would like to hear where customers would like to see bus stop improvements. Please submit a stop(s) by filling out this form:  https://gotriangle.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new