The Centre Area Transportation Authority has begun a three-phase project to redesign and improve its bus stops and shelters throughout its service area in the Centre Region.
“It’s been years since CATA improved our bus stops, and we are overdue for an upgrade. With this project, CATA will be giving our passengers a fresh, improved and updated location to wait for our buses, improving the passenger experience,” Executive Director David Rishel said in a statement. “This will be a long-term project but breaking it into phases has let us refresh our current bus stops right away while we work on bigger improvements to come.”
CATA has begun installing new signs at stops as the first phase of the project, which will update some amenities such as service information and QR codes that can be scanned by smartphones to access the authority’s website, according to a news release.
The second phase will involve an inventory assessment of the current condition of stops, documenting each with photographs identifying any shortfalls areas for improvement at each location. Once the assessment is completed, stops will be prioritized for upgrades and repairs.
Phase two will also include CATA’s first stop classification system to classify bus stops by size and ensure consistent amenities such as shelters and seatings at frequently used locations.
“This categorization will be based on factors such as current ridership, potential future growth and surrounding destinations,” CATA wrote in the release. “Once the assessment and categorization are complete, CATA will prioritize stop upgrades throughout the system and will work with local municipalities to apply for funding to make improvements.”
The final phase, which is expected to begin in late 2025, will implement upgrades to stops, with the goals of improving accessibility, providing riders with a consistent experience and improving stop appearance.
“CATA is dedicated to creating a safe, accessible, and user-friendly transportation network for the Centre Region,” according to the release. “We look forward to the positive impact these improvements will have on CATA riders and the community.”
For those interested in providing feedback on CATA’s services in the Centre Region, the authority will hold a public input meeting at 5 p.m. on Jan. 22 in the Community Room at Schlow Centre Region Library.
