September 26, 2008

Students to present ideas for enhanced bus stops

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Can a bus stop be more than a designated spot where public transportation vehicles pick up and drop off passengers? Can a recognizable and easily identifiable bus stop design enhance a community and its image?

Students in the third-year Architecture 351 class at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will present their concepts for a prototype bus stop for the city of Carbondale during a public meeting from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 29, in the back room of the Longbranch Coffeehouse, located at 100 E. Jackson St. City officials will be on hand and the public is welcome too.

Each of the student design teams has crafted a detailed design for a specific site, according to Christy Poggas, assistant architecture professor. She said the designs, expressive and representative of their locales, will embody the spirit and character of the places. They’re the students’ visions for what a 21st century bus stop can be -- protection from the elements, visible and safe, providing comfort, full field of vision, safety and comfort while incorporating pertinent information about routes and schedules.

It’s not the first time recently that the architecture students have presented their ideas to interested parties. During a Sept. 5 public forum, they displayed their designs for a redesigned town square for the area north of Main Street and west of Washington Street that’s now a parking lot.

The students are still learning, so their bus stop proposals aren’t “ready-to-use” as is. But, it’s just possible as the Historic Town Square Coalition and Carbondale officials work to create a revitalized downtown, the images envisioned by SIUC students could come into play.