Bus Rapid Tranist

[eastsider]

Capital Metro plans to create 10 Bus Rapid Transit lines over a 20 year period covering roughly 133 miles. The BRT will share roads with cars and have devices that could end red lights sooner and extend green lights to help them get through intersections faster. Stations would be placed roughly every mile and cost about $25,000 each. Feature of the stations are overhead shelters, electronic message boards indicating when the next bus will arrive, maps, lighting, and seating. Buses would run every 20-30 minutes and possibly 7-10 minutes during rush hour.

This is about the first line that is scheduled to begin running in early 2007:

That first line to open

[eastsider]

This isn't about the BRT lines, but it could have an impact on the future service. With the rise in gas prices, Cap Metro is seeing one of the largest gains in uses in it's history.

*Use of Park and Ride routes, as well as six Express routes, jumped 9 percent this August compared with last August.

*Vanpool use was up 15 percent in August over the same time last year.

*Ridership on fixed routes increased 3.6 percent this August versus last August.

Austin Business Journal: Rise in gas prices boosts ridership

[HOWARD ROARKE]

Since Cap Metro always uses Portland and Seattle as great mass transit examples, let's hope they incorporate the bus station / bus stop that both of those cities use: a parallel bus stop 'parking place' adjacent to the main roadway. How many times have you been in the right lane of traffic only to come to a complete stop while the bus in front of you comes to a complete stop to load/unload riders and then, the rider has to get their bicycle off the front of the bus. The adjacent "bus-lane/parking spot" at the stop allows traffic to progress pass the bus without contributing to gridlock. And please, move the bus stops to mid-block locations, away from intersections.

[eastsider]

In yesterdays article in the Statesman about the MetroRail, there was a link to a CapMetro brochure which had a little info on the Bus Rapid Transit line. The appears to now be called MetroRapid and it say that service should begin in 2008 on North Lamar, Guadalupe, and South Congress. It also has an artist concept of whst the busses could look like.

http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/pdf/rail_brochure2.pdf

Also, browsing through the CapMetro website, there was an article about the Tech Ridge Park & Ride dedication from April. It said that BRT service would begin in summer 2007, so I'm not sure which date is correct. I guess the brochure was the most recent and would have had the most up-to-date info. More on the Tech Ridge Park & Ride:

The 33-acre facility initially includes 500 parking spaces and 20 vanpool parking spaces, ten canopied bus shelters with bus bays, a three-lane access road, "kiss and ride" locations for easy passenger drop-off and a clock-tower set to official Capital Metro time. The larger facility will also allow Capital Metro to add additional northbound and southbound express trips to the Route 935 North IH-35 Express schedule. In the future, the facility can expand to approximately 2,000 parking spaces and can connect to future IH-35 HOV lanes.

In May 2005, the Austin City Council officially designated the Tech Ridge Park & Ride a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) district, meaning that residential, retail, office and open spaces may be developed within walking distance of the facility, making it convenient to travel on foot or by public transportation instead of by car. Following the selection of a planning consultant, the City of Austin will begin the Station Area Planning process later this year. In the meantime, Capital Metro has commissioned Economic Research Associates to conduct TOD market studies to be completed by the end of May, to estimate the potential development that can occur, including the positive impact of transit.

More than Your Average Park & Ride

[cheeriokid61]

That should be great. What kind of mass transit does Austin currently have?

[Nic]

That should be great. What kind of mass transit does Austin currently have?

Here's a link to Capital Metro's website showing some facts on our current transit system.

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority

[dan326]

Baton Rouge is also planning bus rapid transit.

[eastsider]

A couple of Capital Metro board members are now questioning the value of rapid bus with new estimates for the first planned line being complete. In 2004, the estimated cost for the 20-mile line was $10 million for 22 buses, 43 canopied stops, and electronic message boards. With only two companies submitting bids for the rapid buses, it would now cost $33 million for the 31 buses alone. Now some are questioning weather light rail would be better for the corridor, as it would attract more development adding to the cities tax base. Others argue that a new tax base will not be created, but rather shifted from other parts of the city.

A decision on the bus purchase is likely to be deferred at the next Capital Metro board meeting.

Austin American-Statesman: Cap Metro's plan for rapid buses hits a snag

[ccosart]

A couple of Capital Metro board members are now questioning the value of rapid bus with new estimates for the first planned line being complete. In 2004, the estimated cost for the 20-mile line was $10 million for 22 buses, 43 canopied stops, and electronic message boards. With only two companies submitting bids for the rapid buses, it would now cost $33 million for the 31 buses alone. Now some are questioning weather light rail would be better for the corridor, as it would attract more development adding to the cities tax base. Others argue that a new tax base will not be created, but rather shifted from other parts of the city.

A decision on the bus purchase is likely to be deferred at the next Capital Metro board meeting.

Austin American-Statesman: Cap Metro's plan for rapid buses hits a snag

That corridor *screams* out for light rail...