About 1,400 bus shelters across the city have been shut down for safety inspections after one collapsed earlier this month in Staten Island.
JCDecaux, which operates all of the city’s 3,500 bus shelters, discovered bolts in the Staten Island shelter that appeared to be corroded, according to company spokesperson George Arzt. No one was injured when the glass and metal shelter collapsed on Oct. 5, Arzt said.
About 3 percent of the first 1,000 shelters inspected revealed corrosion in bolts. He said those have been repaired and reopened.
“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,” Arzt said in a statement.
Back in 2005, the city selected Cemusa to build and maintain street furniture including bus shelters and newsstands. JCDecaux acquired Cemusa several years ago.
The company is initially focusing on the first generation of shelters, but all 3,500 will be reviewed.
“Bus riders deserve the best level of service, whether it be on the bus or when waiting in a bus shelter,” the city Department of Transportation said in a statement. “DOT expected JCDecaux to keep the city’s bus shelters safe and well maintained. We will hold the contractor accountable for making these fixes expeditiously.”
The shelters that have been closed off for inspection include 505 in Brooklyn, 423 in the Bronx, 478 in Manhattan, two in Queens and 19 on Staten Island.
