Transit Shelter Modernization Plan on the Shelf in Seattle

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.