Our View: Bus stop controversy tests city’s diligence

After two months of intermittent debate about bus benches and advertising, city officials in Spokane may be meandering their way to a reasonable solution.

Or not.

At least a consensus seems to be taking shape that benches should be available at certain transit stops and that it might not be a grave sin if some type of commercial message appeared on them. It’s the latter point that could cause trouble, judging by the dismissive comments offered at a council hearing on the subject Monday.

At present, the City Council seems to be saying it should be OK to allow existing benches to stay in place for now – advertising messages and all – but only until a new policy is developed, at which time new benches would replace them. Mayor Mary Verner, meanwhile, is saying the advertising company whose contract to place the benches around town has expired must remove them by month’s end – then we’ll figure out what kind of benches can be put in place and under what limitations.

In the meantime, bus riders have a more immediate stake in this issue than anyone else.

It’s become clear that 200-plus benches now in place are unsatisfactory in several ways that have nothing to do with whether they have an advertising message. They’re in disrepair, placed at locations away from bus stops and in some cases reportedly crowd the public right-of-way so that wheelchairs can’t get past them, a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Those concerns existed both before and after the contract with the city expired, and they could have been corrected long ago if City Hall had imposed rigorous enforcement efforts.

Whatever solution emerges from this process, city officials need to be more diligent in their oversight and regulatory role. But in the meantime, they should make sure transit patrons’ comfort and convenience is not interrupted.

In a time of strained public budgets, it’s also preferable that the next generation of benches be provided without robbing the city treasury.

The contract with a private company provided the city with only modest income, but at least no expense. Bus patrons got a place to rest their feet, and the Spokane Transit Authority could use its funds to hire drivers and buy buses rather than benches.

Even Verner, who’s named a committee to take a look at the problem, has allowed for consideration of what kind of advertising display would be aesthetically acceptable.

However the situation is resolved, we hope city officials have learned a lesson from this experience and will administer any forthcoming contract more attentively.