Bus lanes along a primary transit corridor have sped up travel times and point to the potential for major citywide improvements.
Alon Levy takes a closer look at the outcomes of a San Francisco project that includes dedicated bus lanes on Mission Street, an arterial with one of the highest transit ridership levels in the city and lots of congestion.
Buses running along the 2.5-mile section are moving two minutes faster, and Muni expects this to increase to five minutes when the project upgrades are complete. "The two minutes of saved travel time represent about 10% of current trip time, and the projected five-minute saving is a quarter of the total travel time," says Levy.
He notes that the program also includes left turn restrictions and forced right turns, which have resulted in decreased traffic on Mission Street. Bus stops along the route were also consolidated to help with travel times.
Levy says that the program so far looks like a complete success and should be replicated in other parts of the city:
City residents who travel to areas not served by BART or by the Muni Metro tunnel would be able to count on buses being there; people who can afford Uber or Lyft might choose to stay on the cheaper bus nonetheless, and people who cannot might still choose to make more trips by bus, creating a virtuous cycle of more ridership and more service.
He argues that in the long run these improvements would help transit riders but could also substantially transform San Francisco’s larger transportation network.
FULL STORY: Mission Bus Lanes Work Wonders For Riders - Pedestrian Observations
San Francisco's First BRT Line Closer to Opening
The Van Ness Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project will bring the first dedicated BRT corridor to San Francisco, nearly two decades after voters approved the project.
Dedicated Bus Lanes Beating Congestion in Portland
The Portland experience builds the case for dedicated bus lanes as an effective method of congestion mitigation.
A Bikeshare Showdown Between Uber and Lyft
Lyft may soon not be the sole bikeshare operation in San Francisco as the city looks to expand the system and open the market up to other companies.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)