Photo: James Rojas / WBZ News Radio
BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - It's the battle of the bus stops, as stops in Boston and Portland, Maine are now in the running to be named the best in the U.S. this year.
Over the last few weeks, bus stops all over the country have been in a mass transit melee, all vying for the winning spot in a contest called "America's Best Bus Stops 2022". The competition is hosted by Streetsblog USA, a website dedicated to connecting "people to information about how to reduce dependence on cars and improve conditions for walking, biking and transit."
The finalists are a stop at Walnut Avenue and Columbus Avenue in Boston, versus a bus shelter on Congress Street in Portland, Maine.
The stop in Boston beat others partly because of it's center lane design, allowing busses to move freely and cut down on commute times. According to the city, 74% of riders surveyed said they experienced faster trips after the center lane bus design was incorporated.
Meantime, Boston's competition to the north is also applauded for it's design. The shelter was designed by Maine artist Ebenezer Akapo, using colorful metal wrapped around the traditional bus shelter. Akapo also incorporated traditional symbols of friendship and hope from Ghana, from where he emigrated. His design is part of a Creative Bus Shelter initiative that paid creatives $4,500 each to give stops a neighborhood-specific refresh.
The bus stop clinched 54% of the vote initially, gathering the highest vote total of any entrant in the contest so far.
Over the next several days, a winner will be chosen by popular vote.
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports
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