The GRTC transit system, located in Richmond, Virginia, continues the groundwork to improve bus stops — all the way down to the concrete pads.

The agency’s Essential Transit Infrastructure (ETI) project focuses on installing new benches, shelters, and ADA-compliant features to better serve riders at bus stops throughout the City of Richmond, Henrico County, and Chesterfield County.

According to Katherine Long, project manager for the ETI initiative, GRTC made significant progress between April 18 and June 27, upgrading amenities at stops throughout the system. GRTC’s goal is for 50–75% of stops to have a shelter or seating by 2027. During this time, crews added:

•  5 new benches for a total of 58.

•  7 new shelters for a total of 31.

• 11 new trash cans for a total of 56.

Longs explained that shelter designs vary from stop to stop depending on the space and conditions at each location. Open-air glass or fully cantilevered shelters are used in areas with limited space or physical constraints because of their smaller footprint.

Where space allows, GRTC prefers to install three-sided shelters that offer better protection from rain, wind, and other elements.

Equity Guides Bus Stop Upgrade Priorities

Equity also plays a vital role in how GRTC prioritizes stops for upgrades.

Long noted that each stop is evaluated using an equity score, which considers the number of routes serving the stop, the longest wait times between buses, frequency relative to overall network coverage, and proximity to key community destinations like schools, libraries, and medical facilities.

The surrounding socioeconomic context is also considered, prioritizing areas where minority, low-income, or Limited English Proficiency populations exceed the system-wide average.

Long clarified that many of the shelters marked for removal have reached the end of their useful life and are being updated with more functional and modern designs to meet the needs of today’s riders better.

To help the public follow along with the five-year plan, GRTC also launched a public dashboard. The dashboard includes an installation status tracker and an interactive map showing which stops have been upgraded and which are scheduled next.