First round action continues with the fifth match in Streetsblog’s 2017 Sorriest Bus Stop in America competition.

Pittsburgh, Chapel Hill and San Diego are all on their way to the second round. Bus stops in Indianapolis and Munhall, Pennsylvania, are still going at it if you haven’t voted yet in yesterday’s match.

Today pairs up bus stops in metro Tampa and the Maryland suburbs outside DC. Vote for the sorriest.

Prince George’s County, Maryland

An anonymous commenter wants a repeat championship for bus stops on Maryland state highways. This one could go far:

I know Maryland State Highway Administration took the crown last year, but this little guy on Branch Avenue (aka MD-5) in PG County is a strong competitor for back-to-back Merlin titles. In addition to playing Where’s Waldo trying to find the pole, riders can choose from these comfortable places to await the bus: sitting on the guardrail, pacing the ample shoulder, hiding in the bushes, or praying for the bus to arrive in the adjacent megachurch. It’s conveniently located across the road from a major shopping center that can be easily reached by sprinting across high-speed traffic and a muddy median.

Agencies responsible: Maryland State Highway Administration, Prince George’s County, WMATA.

Tampa

This hair-raiser is on a state highway in the Tampa suburb of Brandon, Florida, where Hillsborough Area Regional Transit runs the buses. Our anonymous submitter writes:

This stop on Lumsden Road is situated nicely on a small patch of grass between the edge of a 6 lane thoroughfare and a stormwater pond. I’d hate to be the person that has to rely on this stop. If you’ve ever had to walk anywhere in Florida during a hard rain you know that soft grass is not your friend, and don’t get me started on the type of reptiles and amphibians that may be lurking in that storm pond! Oh, and this isn’t the only stop like this in the system.

Agencies responsible: Florida DOT, HART.