Bus Shelters Get Caution-Taped Because of Bolt Concerns
A shelter at 96th and Amsterdam.
Bus shelters in the neighborhood and throughout the city have been covered in caution tape after the company that operates them found corroded bolts at one of the shelters. A bus shelter collapsed in Staten Island earlier this month, though no one was injured. Of the 1,000 shelters inspected, 30 have had to be fixed, ABC reported.
A statement from the company that runs the shelters said.
“JCDecaux, the world’s largest street furniture company, which operates New York City’s 3,500 bus shelters, a program it acquired in 2015, has cordoned off 1,400 shelters while it conducts safety inspections. The company anticipates that most of the shelters will be re-opened within a week.
The decision to implement this inspection protocol was triggered by a recent incident relating to bolts in one shelter. The bolts apparently had experienced corrosion.
Working in consultation with the city’s Department of Transportation, the company immediately began a process of inspecting all 3,500 bus shelters, focusing on the 2,500 which used an older design that was updated after 2012. Approximately three percent of the first 1,000 shelters inspected revealed corrosion. Those were repaired and reopened. The company decided to cordon off the remaining shelters while the inspections continue.
It is expected that this inspection program will be completed within a week, and any required repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the month.”
Thanks to Rob for the photo.
These shelters had to have been designed for assembly with stainless steel bolts and nuts which never corrode. An engineer (or other professional) signed off on these bus stop enclosures without checking the contractor’s work.
Bus shelter material check list:
1. shatterproof glass (check)
2. ground all electrical (check)
3. nap resistant benches for seating (check)
4. non-corrosive bolts (not check)
Really?
If the MTA was run to serve riders, the shelters would be inspected and repaired, as needed, one shelter at a time.
Instead, the shelters are operated by a company and all made unavailable to make the inspection and required repair efficient. Good for the company, bad for the riders.
But I guess it’s makes sense for people to stand out in the elements while they wait for unpredictable bus arrivals.
Seriously?! So rather than do routine inspections, they waited until a disaster and now have closed all the bus shelters? Typical of the city and it’s contractors. Bad enough there aren’t enough of them for the aging population who needs them most to begin with.
Hmmm…3,500 bus shelters…minus 1,400 cordoned off…= 2,100, or 60%, with NO TAPE.
So how is that “all the bus shelters”
And “Typical of the city and it’s contractors”
You mean “ITS contractors”, for IT’S is a contraction of IT IS, which would make little sense here.
Oh, well…to revise the old saying, ‘People who live in glass-bus-shelters shouldn’t throw stones”!
Do they not have regular inspections? I mean, it’s a box of glass essentially. I would hope they would ensure that it’s up to its maximum stability… anything goes wrong with a person inside, they’ll be lucky just to have a minor injury.
I hope it’s not the corrosion caused by dog pee. There were already street lamps that collapsed for that reason.
I don’t think the dogs are climbing up on the roof to pee.
The legal term that would be use for the multi million $$$ lawsuit if this were done by a private co is “failure to maintain”
Thanks for this info.
Yayyyy…the shelter at 185 West End passed inspection and has been unwrapped!
NOW, if the MTA could only get the “corroded bolts” out of the M57’s (a.k.a. “Old Sometyme” schedule!
I’m telling you, these shelters are killing the neighborhood!