A bus shelter on Pitkin Avenue in Brooklyn's Brownsville neighborhood has a brand-new look, and city officials say it could be the start of an environmentally friendly redesign that could spruce up transit stops across the five boroughs.
The roof of the B12 and B14 stop outside Bargain Hunters discount store now features a “green roof” with native grasses and other vegetation.
The adornment adds color and life to the otherwise drab bus shelter, and officials say the plants can absorb 16 gallons of rainwater to reduce flooding during heavy rainstorms. Officials say the elevated garden could also cool down the shelter for riders waiting for buses on hot days.
Officials said they’ll use the prototype to collect data and evaluate the feasibility of green roofs as part of a greater effort that transportation officials say could improve life for bus riders.
Sabrina Desir, a Brownsville mother of four, was excited about the addition as she boarded the B14 bus.
“I think flowers and having green stuff in general is actually amazing because we don't really see that on bus stops,” she said.
The pilot, which has been planned and designed based on two years of community feedback,, won’t cost taxpayers any money. It’s being funded by a nonprofit called the Resilient Cities Catalyst, which hired contractors to maintain the plants, according to Jennifer Sta. Ines, who runs special projects at the city transportation department.
The city’s bus shelters are built and maintained by the company JCDecaux. The company doesn't charge taxpayers to set up the structures, but takes in revenue from advertisements it sells on the exteriors.
Elizabeth Adams, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s senior adviser charged with making buses “fast and free,” said green bus stops could help riders escape the heat while they wait to be picked up.
“At one bus stop it might be 90 degrees outside. In another neighborhood, it's 15 degrees higher because of a lack of trees, lack of greenery, and a lot of concrete,” she said.
The city has also installed reflective film on the roofs of three other bus stops in the neighborhood, which city officials said could cool the underlying pavement by 25 degrees.
The green roof pilot on Pitkin Avenue will be in place through at least November, and officials will also monitor nearby reflective roofs through May 2027.
