Drawing of bus shelter.
Artist’s rendering of a RapidRide station (click to enlarge).

The A Line will have 50 bus stops along its 11-mile route, mostly in northbound/southbound pairs. There will be three basic types of stop with different levels of amenities.

Seventeen will be standard stops, which will have a bench, RapidRide marker, and a light to signal drivers if you’re waiting at the stop after dark. In addition, those that currently have regular bus shelters will have small RapidRide shelters.

Six of the stops will be enhanced stops, with the same amenities as the standard stops plus pedestrian lighting, bike racks, trash cans, and small shelters with interior lighting.

The remaining 27 stops will be RapidRide stations, which—where space allows*—will have all the amenities listed above plus large shelters with interior lighting, signs with real-time bus arrival information, stand-alone ORCA fare card readers, and news vending boxes.

The decision about a stop’s type is based on how many passengers board there each day. Stops with the most boardings—and those that are paired with them in the opposite direction—will be stations. Stops with fewer boardings will be enhanced stops, and those with the least boardings will be standard stops.

*Note: In a couple of station locations, Metro has not been able to secure enough space to install a RapidRide shelter. But all RapidRide stations will have real-time arrival signs and fare card readers.

Photo: bus shelter
A prototype RapidRide station shelter.