Solar Panels Lighting VTA Bus Shelters Wednesday, August 5, 2009 By Shannon Barry, Milpitas Post Local officials are bringing safety and environmental concerns to light with the arrival of 62 newly-retrofitted bus shelters throughout the county. By utilizing small, state-of-the-art solar collector panels, the Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority is now leaving the lights on for nighttime bus passengers at previously unlit bus shelters. According to VTA public information officer Jennie Loft, the company has been exploring solar technology as a way to provide inexpensive and environmentally friendly energy since the 1990s. With VTA's newest venture, the company has done just that. The bus shelters have solar panels that are able to collect enough energy during the day in order to power energy-efficient LED lights later that same night. Loft is thrilled about the project's recent completion. She added that the shelters fall in line with one of the agency's ultimate goals. "This project is important because VTA is committed to safety," Loft said. "Well-lit bus shelters provide a greater sense of safety for our passengers, particularly during early morning or late in the evening. It also allows increased visibility for VTA bus operators, particularly when it gets dark." The project also benefits VTA in other ways. The agency, aiming to be environmentally responsible and to reduce spending, will save an estimated $800,000 each year through the new plan, Loft said. There are a number of reasons the project was able to finally get off the ground, she said, specifically citing the collaboration between Clear Channel Outdoor, Urban Solar, City of San Jose and the Office of San Jose Councilmember Pete Constant. Clear Channel provides and maintains bus shelters at no cost to VTA while it is allowed to place advertising in the shelters. A newly retrofitted bus shelter, complete with the solar panel and lights, was dedicated in June in San Jose at the intersection of Williams and Boynton roads on VTA's popular Route 25. Constant was instrumental in working with San Jose city departments to move this stop along. According to Jim Cogan, Constant's chief of staff, the project has been a "top 10 priority" for their community since 2001, particularly through the Strong Neighborhood Initiative group in the Blackford-Winchester area. As such, the difficulty completing the project didn't come in gaining interest, Cogan said, but cutting through the bureaucratic red tape. He said Constant spent about seven months once or twice a week to determine if the bus stop was legally capable of being retrofitted. Now that the lit shelter is up and running, Constant speaks highly about the experience. "I feel really good," he said. "I think it's these little victories that we win that make the job so rewarding." He encourages all residents to lead the way for positive changes throughout their community. "I would just like to encourage everyone out there to start looking for projects like this," he said. "No project is too large or too small ... if we can make a large impact." Constant encourages residents to contact his office if they have any energy-saving ideas. He can be reached at 535-4901 or district1@sanjoseca.gov.