News
More Bus Stops Upgraded: ETI Project Progress and Public Dashboard
July 22, 2025
GRTC News
RICHMOND, Va. — From concrete pads to covered shelters, GRTC is continuing the groundwork to improve bus stops.
The 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. During this time, crews added 5 new benches for a total of 58, along with 7 new shelters bringing the total to 31, and 11 new trash cans bringing the total to 56 across the service area as part of the ETI project. GRTC’s goal is for 50–75% of stops to have a shelter or seating by 2027.
Long explains that shelter designs vary from stop to stop depending on the space and conditions at each location. In areas with limited space or physical constraints, open-air glass or fully cantilevered shelters are used 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 also plays an important role in prioritizing stops for upgrades. Long notes that each stop is evaluated using an equity score, which considers factors such as 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, with priority given to areas where minority, low-income, or Limited English Proficiency populations exceed the system-wide average.
Some older shelters are being removed and replaced as part of the project. Long clarifies that many of the shelters marked for removal have simply reached the end of their useful life and are being updated with more functional and modern designs to better meet the needs of today’s riders.
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.
GRTC is proud of the progress so far and remains committed to making bus stops more comfortable, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.