Montgomery County has been considering a Bus Rapid Transit System for close to a decade, a study released this year details the improvements the system promises to bring.
A report on the proposed Montgomery Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system says the system could speed commutes for bus riders and drivers and double transit usage for the area. "BRT offers many features you'd expect from a train: large, covered stations, fare machines where you pay before getting on, and special traffic signals to let buses pass ahead of other vehicles," writes Dan Reed for Greater Greater Washington.
The scale of the increase is impressive, "The study found that the same trip on BRT could take as little as 29 minutes, making it even faster than driving," Reed writes. But most of the changes are dependent on the full plan being adopted. "All of the benefits BRT could bring East County are less likely to happen without dedicated lanes that make buses faster," Reed concludes.
FULL STORY: Here are five things Montgomery County says BRT will do

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie