METRO Board Members, executive leadership, and elected officials, including Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee and Lizzie Fletcher, joined community members to celebrate a major milestone — the completion of 2,500 universally accessible bus stops.
Upgrades at these stops include sidewalk, wheelchair ramp, and bus shelter foundation improvements. The enhancements benefit everyone by providing safety and comfort, whether you walk, ride or roll.
“Back in 2017, METRO took a new approach to universal accessibility philosophy in all of our designs,” said METRO Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran. “Our goal is not just to make bus stops compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act but to go well beyond that. Today marks a significant milestone on the journey.”
“This is a momentous occasion,” said METRO Board Member Lex Frieden. “For me, when I look at an accessible bus stop, I don’t see the curb ramp. I don’t see the stop. I don’t see the pad. I see opportunity. I see the chance to go somewhere — to go and get an education, to go to work, to go to church, to go get friends to engage in recreation.”
“We’re very proud of this accomplishment, but there’s more to come,” said METRO CEO Tom Lambert. “COVID-19 has shown us that access to dependable, affordable public transportation is more important than ever before.”
METRO Board Members Chris Hollins, Terry Morales, and Troi Taylor also joined in the celebrations.
METRO has made substantial financial commitments to continue the upgrade of its bus stops and shelters.
For more information, please visit www.ridemetro.org.
Source: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
