Transit Shelter Modernization Plan on the Shelf in Seattle

Transit advocates thought a public-private partnership to modernize transit shelters and enhance the public realm was a done deal.

1 minute read

August 24, 2018, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Bus Stop and Bike Lane

Green Lane Project / Flickr

Seattle has put a public-private partnership that would have modernized the city's transit shelters "on ice," potentially scuttling between $97 million and $167 million in revenue over 20 years.

"The city had selected Intersection, a winning bidder, which promised installation of modern transit shelters and high-tech information and WiFi kiosks throughout Downtown Seattle and South Lake Union at no cost to the city. Intersection had also offered to pay the city between $97 million and $167 million over 20 years as compensation for sole operational rights," reports Stephen Fesler.

Fesler reports that Mayor Jenny Durkan is responsible for putting the project "on ice some time between late last year and early this year." The news came after The Urbanist spoke with Seattle Department of Transportation official, who report that "priorities had since changed and that the contract had been put on an indefinite hold, likely meaning permanent cancellation."

The article includes a lot more detail about the deal that would have created the public-private partnership, the city's intended private sector partner, and the look and feel of the proposed transit shelters.

Friday, August 24, 2018 in The Urbanist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

July 15 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

July 15 - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

July 15 - Bloomberg