Philly Testing New Approach to Bus Priority

Philadelphia planners hope to achieve benefits to traffic safety and transit performance by restricting automobile use of lanes along Roosevelt Boulevard.

1 minute read

November 19, 2019, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


SEPTA Direct Bus

A SEPTA Direct Bus stop on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia, pictured in 2018. | Dough4872 / Wikimedia Commons

Philadelphia is launching a new BAT (business access and transit) lane scheme for a bus route along Roosevelt Boulevard, reports Darryl C. Murphy.

BAT, which stands for business access and transit, is a new-to-Philly breed of lane that prioritizes buses, and lets cars flow into only to make right turns at intersections or businesses. Never before tried on a major road in Philadelphia, the city is now advancing a plan to test BAT lanes on the Boulevard, the most dangerous road in the city and one of the deadliest in the region. 

The pilot BAT lane is intended to both speed up bus service along the street but also improve safety. The project is funded by the city's "Routes for Change" project.

As noted by Murphy, the BAT lane idea is a watered down version of bus priority projects implemented recently in New York City and approved recently by San Francisco.

Friday, November 15, 2019 in WHYY

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

White Waymo autonomous car driving fast down city street with blurred background at night.

Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars

Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Two small wooden one-story homes in Florida with floodwaters at their doors.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?

With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

5 hours ago - Governing

People riding bicycles on separated bike trail.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike

For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

7 hours ago - UNM News