CUSTOM SUNSET SHELTERS FOR CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY
LOCATION
Santa Maria is one of the fastest-growing cities on California’s Central Coast and a major economic hub in the area. Its central location and diverse industries have made it a magnet for workers and families, while cultural offerings, from the Santa Maria Valley wineries to the city’s historic barbecue tradition, contribute to a rich community identity that attracts visitors and strengthens local ties.
Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) provides a comprehensive network of fixed-route and paratransit services across the city and neighboring areas. With multiple local and regional routes, SMRT connects residents to schools, shopping centers, healthcare facilities, and employment hubs, while offering intercity links to nearby communities, including Lompoc, Guadalupe, and San Luis Obispo.
PROJECT SCOPE
Tolar Manufacturing partnered with Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) to support the city’s transit infrastructure with twenty new custom Sunset bus shelters. The upgrade is part of a new street furniture program with the goal of improving the mobility experience for residents and visitors to the Santa Maria area.
“Our goal for these shelters was not just to improve functionality but also to elevate the overall look and feel of our transit stops,” said Gamaliel Anguiano, Transit Manager at Santa Maria Regional Transit. “Tolar Manufacturing’s Sunset shelters perfectly captured our desire for a modern, inviting aesthetic, seamlessly blending into the urban landscape while providing essential amenities for our riders. We particularly appreciate the Tolar team working with us to incorporate a custom laser-cut image of our logo in the roof that allows an image of our logo to shine down onto the street throughout the day.”
The Sunset shelters feature a 12-foot wide radius roof design with a nominal 12-foot by 5-foot dripline along a fully welded roof structure with custom SMRT branding on the shelter roof and rear fascia. Amenities include 80W roof-mounted solar panels with integrated battery storage, powering the RMS80F Solar Lighting System, which provides under-roof dusk-to-dawn security lighting with 5-day minimum autonomous operation through an 8W LED light fixture. New stops are also outfitted with standard 8-foot perforated metal benches and 20-gallon shelter-mounted trash receptacles for rider comfort and convenience. 10 locations will also include real-time information displays.
Adjustable leveling shoes are protected by spun escutcheon shoe covers. The amenities are finished in a durable baked powder coat selected from Tolar’s RAL color chart.
The shelters were procured through the CALACT/MBTA framework, a purchasing program developed by the Morongo Basin Transit Authority with the California Association for Coordinated Transportation. This high-traffic corridor serves as a backbone for local transit in Santa Maria, connecting residents to jobs, schools, healthcare, and small businesses. Upgrading shelters along Broadway not only improves rider comfort and visibility but also signals the City’s continued investment in equitable and sustainable transportation infrastructure.
