FTA Announces Projects Selected For Bus Rapid Transit Demonstration Program |
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Federal Transit Administration
June 8, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 8, 1999
Contact: Gail Taylor
Tel.: (202) 366-4043
FTA 06-99
Ten communities have been selected to participate in the federal Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) demonstration program to show how combining planning and technological devices will allow buses to operate with the speed, reliability and efficiency of light rail vehicles at a fraction of the cost, Federal Transit Administrator Gordon J. Linton announced today.
BRT, a program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA), offers many of the features of a subway system – vehicle movements unimpeded by traffic signals and congestion, fare collection prior to boarding, quick passenger loading and unloading, efficient and reliable service -- but above ground and visible. Currently, successful BRT systems are operating in Curitiba, Brazil; Ottawa, Canada; and Orlando, Fla.
In announcing the selected projects, Linton said, "Bus Rapid Transit is truly a visionary approach in providing high quality transit service essential to ensuring mobility and access for thriving communities, and the projects announced today show promise of achieving the highest speed, air quality attainment and separation from traffic. With the selection of these demonstration projects, we are one step closer to providing ‘world class subway service on tires’ to cities across this country."
The demonstration program announced today will advance BRT implementation in the United States at ten competitively chosen locations, backed by technical support from FTA.
Linton listed and briefly described the following selected projects and members of the BRT Consortium, those communities that are developing BRT projects:
• Boston – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s 3.8 mile "Silver Line " on Washington Street will run to and through downtown to the South Boston Piers and Logan Airport.
* Charlotte, N.C. – The City of Charlotte’s Independent Corridor will add to its exclusive busway in the median of Independence Boulevard. The project potentially could be 13.5 miles long.
* Cleveland – The Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority proposes to rebuild a 5-mile section of Euclid Avenue to provide for exclusive transit lanes, a beautified avenue with landscaping, and transit shelters.
* Dulles Corridor, Va. – The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation proposes BRT as an intermediate phase to the extension of Metrorail in this 22-mile long corridor. BRT would operate mainly on the Dulles Airport Access Road stopping at median stations built for the Metrorail extension.
* Eugene-Springfield, Ore. – The Lane Transit District proposes to implement BRT in a variety of exclusive lane configurations on a 10-mile pilot corridor in Eugene and Springfield.
* Hartford-New Britain, Conn. – The Connecticut Department of Transportation has proposed a nine-mile, 12-station exclusive busway to be built on active and inactive rail rights-of-way.
* Honolulu – The City and County of Honolulu has proposed "City Express," a 12.6-mile system with limited bus stops using HOV lanes on Hawaii’s H-1 freeway and downtown exclusive lanes.
* Miami – Metro-Dade Transportation Authority will extend their existing eight mile, fifteen station busway another eleven miles and 22 new stations to Florida City.
* San Juan, Puerto Rico – The Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority will operate fast shuttle service on a new 2.5-mile Rio Hondo connector linking the Bayamon Tren Urbano Station and the Rio Hondo Tren Urbano Plaza.
* Santa Clara County, Calif. – The Santa Clara County Valley Transportation Authority will improve operations on its 27-mile long Line 22 in six cities: San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Los Altos.
Other members of the BRT Consortium include Alameda & Contra Costa Counties, Calif.; Albany, N.Y.; Chicago; Los Angeles; Louisville, Ky.; Pittsburgh; and Montgomery County, Md.