Houston METRO board members and executive leadership joined community partners and U.S. Rep. Al Green (D-TX) to celebrate the completion of 5,000 universally accessible bus stops.

The event marks a major milestone in the authority's Universal Accessibility Initiative, which began in 2017 and led to millions of dollars in investments from METRO, the Houston-Galveston Area Council and through the METRONext Moving Forward Plan.

The METRO Accessibility Project

The program calls for updates to all 9,000 bus stops to ensure they meet or exceed the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, so all people can access, understand, and use METRO's facilities.

Bus stop enhancements include wider sidewalks, wheelchair ramps, larger bus pads, and tactile paving, which assists pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired.

"All of those improvements make a world of a difference, but it's about the people," said Board Chair Sanjay Ramabhadran at the event. "It's about making their ride easier, more comfortable and contributing to a culture of inclusivity."

Project Benefits

The project benefits everyone using METRO, whether the rider is in a wheelchair or is a mom with a stroller, explained METRO President/CEO Tom Lambert.

"An accessible transit system is a gateway to more opportunity as it unlocks access to a broader world—to jobs, education, healthcare and recreation," he said. "This initiative aims to ensure that everyone in this community has this access."

All METRO-owned vehicles are ADA accessible. METRO also offers discounted fares for passengers living with disabilities.