Hundreds Of NYC Bus Shelters Closed Off For Safety Inspections

NEW YORK — Four in 10 New York City bus shelters have been blocked off while a company checks to see whether they're in danger of crumbling. JCDecaux, the street furniture firm that operates the 3,500 curbside structures, announced Monday that it "cordoned off" 1,400 of them while it performs safety inspections.

The checks came after corroded bolts were found in one Staten Island shelter where the roof folded down against the back wall about 10 days ago, the company said.

No one was in that shelter at the time, but the incident prompted JCDecaux to inspect all 3,500 shelters, which give bus riders a reprieve from wet weather, in consultation with the city Department of Transportation, the firm said.

While riders won't be able to stand under the shelters or use their benches, a JCDecaux spokesman said the inspections won't impact bus service.

The company is initially focusing on the 2,500 shelters with an older design that was updated after 2012, a spokesman for JCDecaux North America said in a statement. About 3 percent of the first 1,000 shelters inspected showed corrosion and were fixed, according to the company.

"The company decided to cordon off the remaining shelters while the inspections continue," the spokesman said in the statement. "It is expected that this inspection program will be completed within a week, and any required repairs are expected to be completed by the end of the month."

JCDecaux is responsible for maintaining the city's bus shelters, newsstands and automated public toilets under a $1 billion, 20-year franchise agreement with the city that it took over in 2015, according to the firm. The company also sells advertising on the structures.

The Department of Transportation said it agrees with JCDecaux's actions so far and will keep an eye on how things proceed to make sure the shelters are inspected and returned to normal use.

"Bus riders deserve the best level of service whether it be on the bus or when waiting in a bus shelter," the department said in a statement. "DOT expects JCDecaux to keep the city’s bus shelters safe and well maintained. We will hold the contractor accountable for making these fixes expeditiously."

(Lead image: Photo by Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock)