3rd Color Changing Bus Shelter Begins Construction in Mills50

Construction of a new bus shelter recently began near Mills & Colonial. It's one of the six color-changing bus shelters we told you in 2013 were coming to the Mills50 business district. So far two have been constructed.

According to Process Architecture, the local agency responsible for the redesign of The Cameo Theatre, "The shelter responds with a change in color and light as riders wait, board and exit buses. Likewise, the shelter responds to passing buses, pedestrians and even other occupied bus shelters in the district."

The design was inspired by vintage illuminated signage within the district. The footprint is small, using an L-shaped design that fits within the right of way. The covers are made of a translucent solid polymer described as "vandal resistant." That's a relevant feature, as Mills50 has had problems in the past with tagging.

Six stops were to be installed, with the following three to be constructed Fall 2015:
  1. The first bus shelter was placed adjacent to the Mills Park shopping center. It's currently got a wooden bench beneath it covered in splotches of paint. 
  2. The second bus shelter is incomplete. It was placed in front of the Mills50 Publix on Colonial. Construction of that one started over a year ago. It does not light up. 
  3. The third shelter is one block away from the unfinished one. As of Saturday it has a new sidewalk beneath it and a bare skeleton. No lighting or panels have been installed.


The unfinished bus shelter adjacent to Publix:

This is what the Mills50 bus shelters are supposed to look like: