Red Bus Lanes Easier to Install Thanks to Federal Green Light

Bus lanes covered in a red carpet of paint are gaining popularity in urban areas, but only with a very tentative kind of approval from federal regulators. Red bus lanes took a big, but not final, step toward full regulatory approval in December.

1 minute read

January 6, 2020, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Washington, D.C. Bus Lane

BeyondDC / Flickr

"Federal highway officials are giving communities from the District to San Francisco the green light to paint their roads red," reports Michael Laris.

The Federal Highway Administration had been granting special "experimental" approval to cities like San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; and San Diego, where the new form of transit infrastructure is already in place.

"But last month, the agency, citing years of analysis and appeals from local jurisdictions, said it will give states the go-ahead to paint their transit lanes red if they write seeking permission and follow basic conditions, such as keeping a list of their locations," according to Laris.

The article includes reports from the ground in D.C., where transit officials trumpet the successes of red transit lanes on H and I streets NW downtown. The District Department of Transportation is also planning more red bus lanes "on the heavily traveled 16th Street NW and in all of the city’s eight wards," according to Laris.

"Federal officials left one asterisk in the process," adds Laris, "noting that the promised smoother permissions will still technically be considered 'interim approvals.' That’s because the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, the final word on paint and other standards, is still going through its years-long revision process."

Saturday, January 4, 2020 in The Washington Post

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

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

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.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today