We have a truly jaw-dropping set of bad bus stops for you today as we continue first round action in our Sorriest Bus Stop in America competition.
Today's Sweet 16 match pits two West Coast contenders, one from the Bay Area and the other from Vancouver, B.C.
Nashville, Cincinnati, Beverly Hills, Pittsburgh, and McKees Rocks have already advanced into the second round. Voting is still open in yesterday's matchup: Miami vs. New Orleans. Now for today's competition ...
San Rafael, Calif.
This bus stop, on Hwy 101 at Smith Ranch Road, was submitted by reader Kevin Carstens. He writes:
While the stop itself is nice (with a shelter and lighting), it is in a high capacity corridor (four-plus buses per hour throughout the day with extra during the peak hours; nine buses I think during the 6 p.m. hour). Despite this, it is sandwiched between ramps adjacent to a noisy eight-lane freeway with very poor connections to the surrounding areas. Riders have to tackle narrow sidewalks, dangerous and fast ramps, and lack of sidewalk amenities (curb ramps, lighting, ... width...). In particular, look to the south of the stop, where a three-foot sidewalk crosses an off-ramp without any sort of signage or striping, pitting pedestrians against vehicles flying off the freeway. Additionally, while the matching southbound stop is only 250 feet away as the crow flies, it is 1,700 feet as the ped walks. Or 1,300 feet if a ped takes the dirt path shortcut from the southbound stop, across the off-ramp, to Lucas Valley Road.
Here's an aerial view of this bus stop, which helps provide better perspective.
The stop is served by Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit, it even has a park and ride, as you can see.
These agencies and Caltrans need to get together and figure out a way to make stops like this safer.
Pitt Meadows (near Vancouver), B.C.