When Colorado transportation officials sought an example of effective bus rapid transit to visit while developing a system of their own, they headed to an unexpected source.
Transportation planners visited the L.A. region's Orange and Silver Line bus rapid transit lines. The Colorado planners were looking for features like elevated bus-only lanes and signal prioritization.
A Los Angeles planner explains in the article that the Silver Line "consolidated a hodgepodge of bus lines that used to cover the Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 corridors through downtown Los Angeles.
By putting in an elevated bus lane that runs down the center of the freeways, opening 20 stations with kiosks and electronic signage, kicking up service frequency to every five minutes during peak periods and establishing a flat $2.45 fare along the route, loyalty to the line has spiked."
Below is a promotional video produced by Colorado's Regional Transportation District's FasTracks program explaining their BRT plans:
FULL STORY: RTD learns transit lessons from the City of Angels
Madison BRT a Midwest Rarity
Despite the benefits, just three Midwestern cities have bus rapid transit lines.
Indianapolis Receives FTA Grant for New BRT Line
The Blue Line will be the third bus rapid transit corridor in the city.
Atlanta Transit Officials Call for Traffic Cameras to Enforce Bus-Only Lanes
MARTA says bus-mounted cameras would be a more effective way to keep bus lanes clear and make upcoming bus rapid transit lines run smoothly and reliably.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.
BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.
The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
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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.
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