As a transit rider in the early 2000s, Kathy Macalister remembers standing on the highway five days a week waiting for buses, often trying to stay dry under an umbrella or dodge the slush sprayed from vehicles.
At the time, she sent a letter to the mayor and council of the day about the issue, but never received a reply. (It was even covered in the pages of this very paper—see Pique, Dec. 1, 2006: “Brio resident advocates for more bus shelters.”)
Though she no longer uses transit herself, Macalister still sees a need for bus shelters—particularly heading south on Highway 99—nearly two decades later.
“I just see people standing on the side of the road at bus stops in the pouring rain, and realized that here we are, 10 or 15 years later, and nothing’s changed,” Macalister said.
“A shelter would be nice. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but just something to get you out of the elements, that’s all.”
Whistler council budgets for bus stop upgrades
The RMOW’s 2021 budget includes $235,000 for bus stop upgrades ($190,000 for laybys in Emerald and Cheakamus, $20,000 for highway bus stop improvements and $25,000 for shelter improvements)—but constructing new shelters is costly.
Building a new bus shelter costs anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000, according to Mayor Jack Crompton.
The last shelter the municipality built was on Whistler Road at the Rimrock for about $25,000, he said. For comparison, a basic, pre-fabricated metal shelter ranges from $15,000 to $30,000, while if built today, the shelter at Village Gate Boulevard would cost more than $100,000.
“We’re always focused on building more bus shelters,” Crompton said, adding that the Route 10 Valley Express, which offers riders a one-seat-trip north and south of the village, has room for improvement.
“Since that route is relatively new, we haven’t caught up yet with transit stops along the way. The current top priorities on Highway 99 are the bus stops at Whistler Creekside and Whistler Village that service the Route 10 Valley Express.“
The RMOW is also working with the provincial ministry of transportation and highways to improve bus-stop access and amenities on Highway 99, as well as reviewing the design of bus shelters that are more vandal-proof and universally accessible, the mayor said.
