Thursday, September 17, 2015

The Seven Keys to a Great Bus Rapid Transit System

Montgomery County is looking at a new bus rapid transit system. How can we make it great? We looked at examples of successful BRT systems around the country.

Photo by Wolfram Burner on Flickr.
Montgomery County's unanimously-approved Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan calls for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, also called RTS, that can serve as an alternative to driving and begin to manage the county's unsustainable traffic problems. Planning for routes along Route 355, Veirs Mill Road, and US 29 are now in "Phase 1," meaning the county is moving forward with their respective studies and designs.
County Executive Ike Leggett is still deciding how to fund the overall system. Leggett's decision will affect key components of the network, from the features it will have to when it will get built. There are more than 30 bus rapid transit systems currently running across the US and Canada-- many since the early 2000s-- and a lot of them have far exceeded expectations.

Below are seven characteristics of great BRT systems from around the country. To ensure a successful BRT system for Montgomery County, Leggett's plan should allow the county follow their leads.
Read the rest of the story at Greater Greater Washington.

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