Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Krumbach’s Creative Bus Shelters

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by

James A. Bacon
in ,

bus_stops
Image credit: City Lab

Arlington County is so affluent these days that downsizing million-dollar bus stops to mere half million-dollar bus stops is seen as an act of fiscal contrition. But the county — and every other jurisdiction in Virginia, for that matter — could learn a lesson from tiny Krumbach, Austria. Aiming to put the hamlet on the tourism map, a local cultural organization approached seven internationally known architects with an offer they couldn’t refuse: “Design a bus shelter for us and we’ll give you a free vacation in Krumbach.”

All seven accepted the challenge, according to the Atlantic City Lab, and the results were unveiled last month. Judging from the images above, some of the designs might have proven no more popular than the infamous million-dollar bus shelter on Arlington’s Columbia Pike. But the design costs would have been a whole lot cheaper and the results a lot more striking.

It’s too late to change the results in Arlington but perhaps Krumbach’s creativity can serve as inspiration for other Virginia communities bold enough to think big.

— JAB

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7 responses to “Krumbach’s Creative Bus Shelters”

  1. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    Been thinking about this a little and I’m sure you would concur with the “little” aspect!

    😉

    Let’s pretend you were in charge of a service that was necessary but had negative issues.

    what would you do?

    Let’s further pretend that you are a doctor and your waiting room has 4 chairs and people are standing in the hallway waiting for a seat.

    what would you do?

    so that’s my point.

    Transit can be the worst of all worlds except when you have no choice.

    think of another kind of transit – like airlines.

    what if you had to stand outside to wait for the plane ?

    Would you consider a million dollars for a waiting room for the airplane to be a waste of money?

    If someone in the transit authority believed that heated floors, wi-fi, an airplane style status board, a rest room, etc.. could boost transit ridership – would you just totally disagree on that guys way of thinking?

    I believe that none other that JimB himself has offered that commuter buses with comfortable chairs and wi-fi might enhance the service and attract more riders – right?

    but acknowledging reality here – you don’t put a million dollars worth of upgrades on a single bus… but do we really know what the actual costs are for those million dollar bus stops? oh wait.. you already asked that before.

    nevermind…

  2. Scout Avatar
    Scout

    As sometimes (even often) happens, my comment is a bit more superficial than LG’s: I love the Krumbach designs. Wouldn’t be fun if shelters this varied and creative started sprouting up around the Northern Virginia suburbs?

    1. larryg Avatar
      larryg

      actually yes. comparing DC/environs to other cities – it’s a colorless, dreary place…

      no whimsy.. little or no art.. “character” is so lacking that what little there is – people flock to in hordes.

      so yes.

      but you see – there is a reason why DC/NoVa is such a colorless place – anyone who dared to put up whimsical transit shelters would be pilloried probably with BR leading the charge about “leftists” wasting money on frills.. and other stodgy but predictable responses.

      Let me ask you a question Scout.

      have you ever been stopped at a rail crossing and watched the box cars and other cars glide by?

      have you noticed the “art” on the cars?

      what do you think when you see that?

      why do you think CSX and NS just leave in on the cars?

      I have a theory. I’m curious about your thoughts.

  3. Darrell Avatar
    Darrell

    Most Tidewater bus shelters consist of a bus stop sign welded to a tire rim. That way they can move them around until someone actually wants to use the bus bad enough to stand beside the sign for an hour. Then the bus company puts a permanent sign in and if they get ten people to stand an hour in the rain the management will discuss putting a porta potti shelter in the following year. When that shelter wears out then management will allocate funds for a permanent shelter in the ten year capital improvement plan if the majority of the bus rider’s committee scream loud enough during the bi-annual budget meeting night.

    1. larryg Avatar
      larryg

      we have the most atrocious shelters known to mankind in our commuter lots. No lights. No potty. usually no seats and detritus in abundance.

      the bottom 6″” in open so that in winter when the wind blows .. you might was well be standing outside the shelter.

      The “plexiglass” has weathered so it has a nice “patina” on it that people have in turn scratched and posted signs with permanent tape on it.

      I cannot imagine standing in that shelter unless all heck was breaking loose outside of it.

      my understanding, by the way is that each parking spot costs in excess of 10K….after all costs are included.

  4. TMT Avatar
    TMT

    I can see spending more money on “enhanced” bus shelters in appropriate locations, e.g., a downtown revitalization area, Tysons, etc. But the idea of a shelter is to protect bus riders from the elements. That suggests to me that the public interest would be better served by using a functional, yet not unattractive, design in more locations than in having fewer works of art-type shelters.

    1. larryg Avatar
      larryg

      have you looked at the cars next to you at stop lights lately?

      what do you see? what are the drivers doing?

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