Purpose

Establish a framework for evaluating and determining the placement, consolidation, and enhancement of bus stops across the METRO fixed-route network. The framework is intended to ensure that decisions about bus stop locations are guided by clear standards, measurable performance data, and equitable outcomes for all riders. The overall goal is to support METRO’s mission to deliver reliable, safe, and efficient transit service that meets the mobility needs of the community while promoting accessibility and sustainability.

Objectives

• Improve accessibility and safety to ensure that all riders including those with disabilities, seniors, and riders with mobility challenges, can safely and comfortably access transit service.
• Support ridership growth by optimizing convenient and safe bus stop placements in the fixed route network in order to improve route travel time and reliability.
• Improve service efficiency by evaluating bus stop spacing – specifically for stop spacing that is too close or too far

Why Bus Stop Spacing Matters – the balance between accessibility and speed.

• Stop spacing is one of the most impactful design decisions in bus route planning
• Closer stops increase access but slow travel times for all riders
• Wider spacing improves speed and reliability while reducing operating costs
• Optimal spacing balances walkability catchment areas with in-vehicle travel time
• Every additional stop adds approximately 20–30 seconds to total trip time
  
  

Factors Included in Bus Stop Placement Analysis

Quantitative Metrics

• Ridership at each stop level
• Spacing of each bus stop location
• Pedestrian accessibility (walk catchment area)
• Proximity/distance to trip generators

Qualitative Considerations

• Safety and ADA concerns
• Land use environment (i.e. residential, retail, commercial, etc.)
• Community context
  

Current Project Progress

All METRO Direct bus routes will undergo the "STOPtimization" process. Below you can find current project progress and upcoming stop removals/changes, organized by route.

Route #1: West Market

Stops Removed:

1. Outbound: W. Market St & Merriman Rd: Stop #29
2.  Outbound: W. Market St & Hawthorne Ave: Stop #46
3. Outbound: W. Market St & N. Rose Blvd: Stop #50
4. Outbound: W. Market St & Melbourne Ave: Stop #56
5. Outbound: W. Market St & Beauparc Dr: Stop #58
6. Outbound: W. Market St & Wallhaven Cir: Stop #59
7. Outbound: W. Market St & Merz Blvd: Stop #42
8. Outbound: W. Market St @ Fairlawn Lutheran: Stop #104
9. Outbound: W. Market St @ Shops of Fairlawn: Stop #106
10.   Outbound: Heritage Woods Dr & Brookrun Dr: Stop #1974
11.   Inbound: W. Market St @ St Hilary: Stop #75
12.   Inbound: W. Market St & Southwood Rd: Stop #78
13.   Inbound: 1732 W. Market St: Stop #8
14.   Inbound: W. Market St & N. Rose Blvd: Stop #99
15.   Inbound: W. Market St & Beck Ave: Stop #97
16.   Inbound: Rosa Parks Dr & S. Main St: Stop #2683

Stops Moved:

1. Outbound: W. Market St & Hawkins Ave: Stop #60
2. Outbound: W. Market St & S. Revere Rd: Stop #66
3. Outbound: W. Market St @ Fairlawn Town Center: Stop #68
4. Outbound: W. Market & St Hilary: Stop #69
5. Outbound: Medina Rd & Springside Dr: Stop #34
6. Inbound: W. Market St @ Fairlawn Hilton: Stop #116
7. Inbound: W. Market St & Revere Rd: Stop #77
8. Inbound: W. Market St & Sand Run Rd: Stop #82
9. Inbound: W. Market St & Westgate Cir: Stop #9
10. Inbound: W. Market St & Wallhaven Cir: Stop #87
11. Inbound: W. Market St & West St: Stop #33

Stops to Be Moved:

1. Outbound: W. Market St & S. Revere Rd: Stop #66
2. Outbound: W. Market St & St. Hilary: Stop #69
   
3. Outbound: W. Market St @ Fairlawn Town Center: Stop #68
4. Inbound: W. Market St @ Fairlawn Hilton: Stop #116
5. Inbound: W. Market St & Revere Rd: Stop #77

Route #2: South Arlington

Stops Removed: None.

Stops Moved:

1. Outbound: S. Arlington St & 5th Ave: Stop #123
2. Outbound: S. Arlington St & E. Warner Rd: Stop #180
3. Outbound: S. Arlington St @ Home Depot: Stop #183

Route #3: Copley/Barberton

Stops to be Removed:

1. Outbound: Copley Rd and Grace Ave: Stop #317
   
2. Outbound: Copley Rd and Crestview Ave: Stop #269
   
3. Outbound: Little St and Frederick Ave: Stop #276
   
4. Outbound: S Hawkins Ave and Lawton St: Stop #280
   
5. Outbound: S Hawkins Ave and Stoner St: Stop #282
   
6. Outbound: Vernon Odom Blvd and Frederick Blvd: Stop #247
   
7. Outbound: 2186 Romig Rd: Stop #251
   
8. Outbound: 5^th St SE and Austin Dr: Stop #1185
   
9. Outbound: Snyder Ave and 3^rd St SE: Stop #1188
   
10. Outbound: Snyder Ave and 2^nd St SE: Stop #1190
    
11. Outbound: S Van Buren Ave and Snyder Ave: Stop #1192
    
12. Inbound: Snyder Ave and 2^nd St SE: Stop #1221
    
13. Inbound: Snyder Ave and Kreider Ave: Stop #1223
    
14. Inbound: 5^th St SE and Austin Dr: Stop #1226
    
15. Inbound: S Hawkins Ave and Stoner St: Stop #294
    
16. Inbound: Copley Rd and Greenwood Ave: Stop #298
    
17. Inbound: Rosa Parks Dr and S Main St: Stop #2683

 Stops to be Moved:

1. Outbound: Copley Rd and Noble Ave: Stop #318
   
2. Outbound: S Hawkins and Little St: Stop #279
   
3. Outbound: 5^th St NE and E Huston St: Stop #1180
   
4. Outbound: S Van Buren Ave and Pasadena Pl: Stop #1193
   
5. Inbound: W Cedar St and W Bowery St: Stop #2749 

Route #6: East Exchange/Canton Rd

Stops Removed:

1. Outbound: E. Exchange & Brown St: Stop #136
2. Outbound: E. Market St & Middlefield Dr: Stop #425 
3. Outbound: E. Market St & Schrop Ave: Stop #427
4. Inbound: E. Market St & Berwyck: Stop #601
5. Inbound: E. Market St & Schrop Ave: Stop #599
6. Inbound: E. Exchange & Cleveland St: Stop #151

Stops Moved:

1. Outbound: Canton Rd & Eastgate Ave: Stop #476
2. Inbound: Canton Rd & Eastgate Ave: Stop #3130
3. Inbound: Canton Rd & Springfield Lake Dr: Stop #583

Route #8: Barberton-Norton/Wooster

Bus Stops Removed:

1. Outbound: W Thornton St & Boulevard St: Stop #1367
2. Outbound: Lakeshore Blvd & W Crosier St: Stop #1642
3. Outbound: Lakeshore Blvd & Ira Ave: Stop #735
4. Inbound: Lakeshore Blvd & Ira Ave: Stop #741
5. Outbound: Wooster Rd & Hazelwood Ave: Stop #770
6. Inbound: Wooster Rd & Hazelwood Ave: Stop #805
7. Outbound: Wooster Rd & Hiram St: Stop #772
8. Inbound: Wooster Rd & Hiram St: Stop #802
9. Inbound:  Wooster Rd & Beech St: Stop #797
10. Inbound: Wooster Rd & Brown St: Stop #793
11. Outbound: Wooster Rd & 22^nd St NW: Stop #1197
12. Inbound: Wooster Rd & 22^nd St NW: Stop #1213
13. Inbound: Wooster Rd & 24^th St: Stop #1211
14. Outbound: Wooster Rd & Hudson Run Rd: Stop #1201
15. Outbound: 5151 Wooster Rd: Stop #1260

Bus Stops Moved:

1. Inbound: Wooster Rd & 16th St SW: Stop #1215
2. Inbound: Wooster Rd & W Huston: Stop #792
3. Inbound: Wooster Rd & Burt St: Stop #800
4. Inbound: Wooster Rd & State St: Stop #801

Route #9: East Ave / Battles

Stops to be Removed:

1. Outbound: Locust St & W. Cedar St: Stop #854
2. Outbound: East Ave & W. Thornton St: Stop #863
3. Outbound: Battles Ave & i-76 Overpass: Stop #875
4. Outbound: Swinehart Rd & East Ave: Stop #883
5. Inbound: Battles Ave & 22^nd St SW: Stop #894
6. Inbound: Swinehart Ave & East Ave: Stop #886
7. Inbound: East Ave & W. Thornton St: Stop #907

Route #10: Howard/Portage Trail

Bus Stops Removed:

1. Outbound: N. Howard St & Vesper St: Stop #964 
2. Inbound: N. Howard St & Edward Ave: Stop #951
3. Outbound: N. Howard St & W. Lowell Ave: Stop #970
4. Outbound: State Rd & Grant Ave: Stop #933
5.  Inbound: State Rd & Grant Ave: Stop #930
6. Outbound: State Rd & Falls Ave: Stop #936
7. Outbound: State Rd & Broad Blvd: Stop #937
8. Inbound: State Rd & Ohio Ave: Stop #925
9. Outbound: Portage Trl & N. Haven Blvd: Stop #983
10. Inbound: High St & School Ave: Stop #1012
11. Outbound: Tallmadge Rd & Viewpoint Ave: Stop #1000

Bus Stops Moved:

1. Outbound: State Rd & Ohio Ave: Stop #938
2. Outbound: N. Howard St & W. York St: Stop #963