America’s Sorriest Bus Stop: Chapel Hill vs. Tampa
America is full of scary bus stops, thousands of them -- that much we know. To keep things manageable we limit our Sorriest Bus Stop competition to a field of 16, and now the voters have winnowed it down to a pool of eight, with Omaha taking out St. Louis for the last spot in the second round.
Today, in what figures to be a fierce contest, Chapel Hill is taking on Tampa for a shot at the Final Four.
Let's get down to business.
Chapel Hill
This stop was submitted by Kira Glynn, who makes the point that a lot of people actually use this bus stop despite the threat of fast traffic. Look at that poor guy trying to run across.
Kira writes:
Now that school is in session at UNC, I was able to get a more representative photo of what the foot traffic at this bus stop looks like. These people are crossing the highway in between bouts of speeding cars. Practically gives me a heart attack every time.
I also found a good Google Maps shot right down the middle of the highway that shows a woman crossing the street from the bus stop holding a baby:
Yeesh. These bus stop photos really convey the systemic inequality the pervades our transportation system. If you can't afford a car, you are on your own in a hostile environment.
Agencies responsible: NC DOT, Chapel Hill Transit.
Tampa
An anonymous reader submitted this stop in Brandon, Florida, outside Tampa Bay. It overcame an awfully bad stop in Prince George's County in the first round.
The advocates at Urban Tampa Bay tell us:
This bus stop is along what the Hillsborough County government considers a "complete street." If you look closely, this road has painted bike lanes, a sidewalk and the bus stop even has a bench. These features were added at considerable extra expense. This miserable streetscape, that only the most desperate pedestrians would ever dare use, was sold to taxpayers as being explicitly pedestrian-friendly. To us, that's what makes it the worst bus stop in America.
Urban Tampa Bay also reports that the nearest signalized crossing "is so far away that there is another bus stop before you get to it."
Ouch.
Agencies responsible: Hillsborough County Public Works, HART.
This is going to be a tough call.
Read More:
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out
Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.
Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers
"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."
Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development
We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.
How and Why to Start a Walking School Bus
Any caregiver for a kid in institutionalized education is familiar with the challenge of getting them where they’re going safely, on time, every single day, well before your own day’s assignments come into play. Here's how a walking school bus could help.
Thursday’s Headlines Have a New Pattern
Working from home may have killed the commute, but people are taking more frequent, shorter trips instead. Whether this adds up to less or more driving overall depends on the city.
