Smart Blog of the Week from ELPC’s Colleagues

Monday, May 7, 2012

Active Transportation Alliance Blog on Bus Rapid Transit Coming to Chicago

This “post of the week” comes from Lee Crandell, Director of Campaigns at the Active Transportation Alliance, explaining the benefits of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT):

  •  Dedicated lanes help reduce traffic delays and road conflicts, making BRT vehicles faster and more reliable and making streets safer.
  • Pay-before-you-board stations reduce boarding times, while the permanence of stations provides economic development benefits similar to train stations.
  • Transit Signal Priority helps transit vehicles stay on time and reduces bunching by giving them preferential treatment at traffic lights.
  • At-grade boarding makes vehicles more accessible to seniors, people with disabilities and parents with strollers, while also reducing boarding time.

The Scoop: BRT can make transit more efficient and safer in communities that rely heavily on public buses for transportation to and from the city.  The CTA will begin implementing three BRT routes in Chicago later this year.

Read the whole story here: http://www.activetrans.org/blog/lcrandell/bus-rapid-transit-may-be-your-transit-future