Getting to Public Transportation Safely

Most people who take public transportation are pedestrians at one point or another. Some arrive by car while others arrive on foot, but everyone has to get to a stop or station. The safety of walking conditions around stops and stations should be of high importance. As mass transit options continue to grow around the country, planners must keep in mind how people will access and use the station.  Improvement can be made when developing new stops or stations and when upgrading current sites. Transportation authorities may need to work with the surrounding community to improve walking conditions, which should improve safety and increase usage of transit. At the same time, access for the disabled should meet and exceed federal standards.

Barriers to Public Transportation Usage
Have you noticed some of these barriers in the public transportation you use?

• No sidewalks leading to stops or stations
• Sidewalks too narrow for all passengers
• Limited disabled access
• Busy traffic with unsafe crossings
• Parking lots with no sidewalks
• No shelter
• Poor or no lighting

Pedestrian-Friendly Access
Think about how you get to and from your public transportation.  If you're walking, are you safe?

• Crossings should be safe and convenient
• Access roads and drop-off zones should be designed to allow a safe approach to the station
• Sidewalks should lead to stations as well as bus stops
• Sidewalks must be wide enough for expected levels of activity
• Adequate lighting promotes safe entry into trains or buses, allows drivers to see pedestrians, and allows riders to watch for suspicious activity
• Parking lots should have sidewalks between rows of parked cars so that walkers can stay out of driving areas

Options for Riders While Waiting

• Providing shelters can attract riders who wouldn't otherwise use transit during certain weather conditions
• Shelters can protect waiting riders from cold, rain, wind, snow, or sun
• Look for shelters most often near busy bus stops and rail stations
• Seating, in shelters or outside, offers rest to tired travelers
• Security staff members improve safety

Disabled Access
Many stops and stations are currently being upgraded to accommodate the disabled.  But many more stops aren't yet up to code.

• Sidewalks should be wide enough for two wheelchair riders to pass one another
• There should be room to operate wheelchair lifts
• Shelters should allow entrance and exit of wheelchair riders
• Wheelchair boarding areas improve access
• Elevators should be available at stations
• Kneeling buses can lower or raise the door for entry into or from a bus
• Tactile strips on platforms, large-print maps, and audio announcements of upcoming stations and stops or arriving and departing trains aid the visually-impaired