PUBELO, Colo. (KOAA) — The City of Pueblo is moving forward with plans to improve bus stops across the Steel City, making them more accessible for people with disabilities through the West Side Bus Stop Rehabilitation Project.
Nearly every morning, Tura Cowan waits at her local bus stop to catch a ride on Pueblo Transit as part of her daily routine.
"It is awesome for the most part," Cowan said.
Cowan said public transit has come a long way since she started riding a few years ago.
"It's good that every route has a lift for my wheelchair," Cowan said.
The upgrades have made it easier for Cowan to get where she needs to go, including frequent trips to the library. While she says the bus ride itself is smooth, getting on and off isn't always simple.
"A lot of them, the sidewalks aren't even wide enough for me to get on and off safely," Cowan said.
She points to the bus stop on West 17th Street as an example of what needs improvement.
"The concrete was good, but the bench took up so much space that there wasn't enough room for a wheelchair or probably even a walker to load on and off the bus," Cowan said.
Cowan suggests having more space and widening sidewalks to make stops more ADA-friendly, along with better lighting at night.
The city is addressing these concerns through the West Side Bus Stop Rehabilitation Project, which would create or upgrade around 68 bus stops to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
"I think that would be nothing but a benefit to everybody," Cowan said.
According to the city, the upgrades would enhance access and safety for all riders, particularly seniors, individuals with disabilities, and others who rely on public transportation.
"We've also got to remember that just because I'm in a chair, that's not the only differing ability that it needs to accommodate," Cowan said.
She would like to see enhancements that help people of all abilities.
"We need stops that'll work for, you know, people with sight impairments, people on walkers, people that have hearing impairments," Cowan said.
The City of Pueblo wants public feedback on this proposed project. They will hold a public meeting in January to discuss the bus stop improvements and other enhancement projects on the west side. You can learn more about the project and submit a comment on their website.
___
Powerball ticket worth $500,000 sold in Colorado Springs
Since September, 16 players in Colorado have won nearly $3 million in lottery prizes. The frenzy is on as Monday's Powerball has ballooned to $1.1 billion.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
