City using funds to improve bus stops

Sep. 10—MANKATO — The city of Mankato recognizes that many of its 86 bus stops need improvements, and it has funds to start making them next year.

Targeted areas focus on assuring proper identification signage; proper amenities as required by federal regulations, such as an "alighting" pad, bench or shelter; location in relation to traffic; and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Shawn Schloesser, the city's assistant director of transportation planning service, prepared recommendations and the City Council adopted them Aug. 14. Because projects for 2023 already had been finalized, money approved for 2023 will be combined with funds for 2024 and work completed in 2024, Schloesser said.

Total project cost is $129,536, with $103,629 coming from Federal Transportation Administration funds and $25,907 local. For 2025, Schloesser said, the state will contribute $375,000.

"We have an outside consultant taking a look at our transit system and helping us make choices for investments for the next five years," he said. "Every five years, the FTA requires us to do this study."

When selecting the 20 projects to be completed now, it's important to look not only at current use but future use, he said. Locations such as the hospital and Walmart are expected to remain, but construction of apartments on the old city shop site behind Cub West, for example, allows improving the Dewey Street bus stop now for expected future increased usage.

Consumers at SMILES Center for Independent Living have expressed concerns at meetings of Citizens for Accessibility meetings, said Jenn Jones, who coordinates the accessibility groups as part of her job. Groups at Gus Johnson Plaza and Durham Apartments meet regularly to discuss concerns and seek solutions.

Their concerns last year prompted the city to review safety at the corner of Fourth and Washington streets. Upon review, the intersection was changed from a two-way to a four-way stop to slow traffic for people crossing to nearby Washington Park or the store across Fourth Street.

"It's (about) not having proper curb cuts to load the bus, uneven pavement, or in the winter not being able to utilize the bus stops due to no shoveling," Jones said of Durham residents' concerns. Those issues were considered in the evaluation of each bus stop.

Lisa Hoffman Wojcik, executive director at Leisure Education for Exceptional People, known as LEEP, noted that due to their programming taking place in the evening and weekends, most of their participants utilize cabs or private rides. So, issues addressed with these improvements don't greatly affect them.

The bus stop outside Gus Johnson Plaza at 413 S. Fourth St. is targeted for multiple improvements. Located near the Spring Street intersection, the existing bench encroaches on the sidewalk and the small concrete pad doesn't allow access to the front of the bench.

The shelter structure, which is separated from the bench by several feet and grass, does not include a dedicated boarding or alighting area, meaning a nearby boulevard sidewalk must be used. This is unsafe to bus users.

Gus Johnson resident and Mankato Multi-Modal Committee member Richard Reisdorf said he has reported the bus stop at that location a few times. He is happy to hear that future remedies are coming.

As someone who suffers from arthritis, he prefers the larger "kneeling" buses that lower for patron exit. In some locations, such as Gus Johnson, there is not a dedicated pad for exiting a bus; that will be remedied with planned improvements.

Signs on the shelter could be removed in exchange for a copy of the bus schedule, he added. In addition, he noted inaccessibility to the shelter for those with walkers or wheelchairs.

Planned solutions include relocation of both the bench and shelter, creation of a curbside bus stop in the parking lane, erecting a pad with a back bench, bus shelter and pad. It also includes a truncated dome, which Schloesser said has raised edges to warn those with vision challenges that the pad ends.

The bus stop at Durham Apartments, 621 S. Second St., is also slated for improvements. It is now between two parking lot driveway aprons and does not have a dedicated boarding or alighting area. When stopped, the bus impedes parking lot access.

Planned improvements at the Durham stop should help address some of the resident concerns expressed at the SMILES CFA meetings.

In addition to physical location, the amount of use determines amenities for the bus stop, Schloesser said.

If more than 15 people use a stop each day, for example, a bench must be installed. If more than 20 a day use it, a shelter is required. Signage identifying it as a bus stop must be "legible." Several stops to be improved lack signage altogether.

Signage is an essential part of operating the efficient bus service, Schloesser said, because it is often the first step in providing accessibility. People need to know where the bus stops are to effectively utilize them. This ties in with their accessing online services to give a full transit experience.

Information gathered for this project will be added to additional data from the current five-year transit study. That strategic plan includes where the buses stop based on usage. Location and amenities are a part of that planning.

Before being forwarded to the council for approval, these plans made a stop at the State Historical Preservation Office and Mankato Heritage Preservation Commission. Those that are in or near historically designated areas were reviewed to assure they meet federal, state and local guidelines.

"We're excited about it because it's going to make great improvements for our community to understand the transit system," Schloesser said.

People who want to add their opinions can do so at the website https://everyvoice.mankatomn.gov/. On the site are several of the projects currently being planned for the city.