Photos: Matthew Roth

Although they aren’t quite as innovative as the solar bus shelter at Geary and Arguello boulevards that we profiled in May 2009, the newly designed MTA bus shelters are appearing around the city, including these two on Market Street near the Ferry Building.

Designed by Ollie Lundberg of Lundberg Design, the top of the shelters are identical to the Geary trial, inspired by San Francisco’s hilly topography. These Market Street shelters are an amber color, in contrast to the red of the Geary Boulevard solar-powered shelter. The composite waves on one shelter are frosted amber, with neon shining up from the stainless steel structure; the other is clear amber, with neon running along the side.

The shelters are part of Clear Channel’s advertising contract with the city and every shelter is expected to be replaced by 2013.

MTA spokesperson Judson True said the agency has seven new shelters, but many more are coming. "We expect mass installation to begin in the next few months."

True said not all of the new shelters would be outfitted with solar due to shadows, regular fog, or an inability to hook into the grid.