Residents of Almaty are expressing dissatisfaction with glass bus stops, which turn into veritable greenhouses in the summer heat, reports infohub.kz.
According to citizens, such structures provide almost no shade, heat up significantly, and the benches burn the skin, making waiting at the stop unbearable. One resident of the metropolis shared: "People usually stand behind the stops. And the glass gets very hot. In particular, the benches also get very hot: if you're wearing shorts, your legs just burn."
Almaty residents note that some cities have installed stops with air conditioning, which is especially convenient for children and the elderly who have difficulty withstanding the heat. Urbanist-architect Alina Beisenova suggests a temporary solution: "Glass stops accumulate heat. That is, it's the greenhouse effect. There are water misters, like those used in many cafes. They cool effectively and are very easy to install. They could be a temporary measure during the heat period."
The Almaty city administration reported that comprehensive renovation of bus stop pavilions is not currently planned. The priority is installing pavilions where they are absent. Chief specialist of the city's traffic management and passenger transport department, Abylai Ostemir, stated: "Currently, comprehensive renovation or replacement of existing bus stop pavilions in Almaty is not planned. The priority is to equip stops with pavilions where they are missing. There are currently more than 500 such stops."
In total, the city has about 2,500 stops. They do not intend to completely replace existing pavilions, but the administration promises to consider urbanists' proposals and in the future take into account the characteristics of streets when designing new structures. Additionally, Almaty is installing electronic information boards that will show bus movement in real time. Later, this system is planned to be integrated with navigation in transport.