Title
Bus Shelter (B)
Explanation
At the CRA Board Meeting on October 18, 2004, the CRA approved a recommendation to use and adopt the "Lancor Heritage" bus shelter design as the standard for Primary Corridors in the College Park University Heights District. CRA and RTS staff recently evaluated the shelter built as a test model in front of the Presbyterian Student Center at 1402 West University Avenue. The construction of the roof and guttering system appears to encourage clogging of the gutters by tree leaves, and a lack of adequate thickness of finishing coats on the support structures is contributing to unsightly rust spots.
Recently, CRA and RTS staff re-evaluated the needs of the bus shelter requirements in the district and developed new design criteria. The criteria consists of gutter-less construction, improved rust-inhibitive finishes, aesthetically modern design, potential for illumination, signage, ability to be constructed on very confined areas, scalability, easy connections to the ground and others. CRA staff is recommending changing the design in order to improve the shelter's service life and maintenance requirements and at the same time enhance bus travel. The intent is to design and construct visually exciting, sturdy, and functional shelter designs requiring little maintenance. RTS staff expressed its approval of the new design criteria.
The staff recommends seeking proposals from architects or other design firms for a new bus shelter design. The process will involve a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for bus shelter design that will meet the new design criteria. The CRA will establish a selection committee that will review the proposals, rank the finalists, and then make recommendations for selection. The selected designer will contract with the CRA to produce construction and bid documents in order to solicit bids from qualified shelter fabricators. The bus shelters are very visible parts of the streetscape and they should be positive piece of street furniture that provides people with a place to wait for the bus and to enhance the community. The new shelters will be installed in new pilot locations at 1245, 1402 and 1826 West University Avenue and later at other locations in the CRA. Eventually, the shelter will be installed city-wide.
On August 1, 2007, the College Park University Heights Advisory board approved moving forward on redesign.
Fiscal Note
There is $50,000 budgeted in the Primary Corridors Accounts (University Avenue Interim Improvements) # 618-790-W724-5520 for FY2007 and $100,000 budgeted for FY2008.
Recommendation
Executive Director to the CRA: Authorize the CRA Executive Director or his designee to develop a scope of work and issue a Request for Qualification for this project pursuant to the CCNA process.