ReportWire

Tag: BRT

  • Another Triangle community now considering bus rapid transit

    DURHAM

    With dreams of commuter or light rail in the Triangle deferred, local governments are turning to a far cheaper and easier form of mass transit that uses buses.

    Durham County is the latest to consider bus rapid transit. The county’s plans get underway this fall with an online survey and a series of public workshops to determine how and where people might use BRT.

    The effort is a response to what the county heard as it developed the 2023 Durham Transit Plan, which guides how revenue from the county’s half-cent sales tax for transit should be spent.

    “Residents and our governing boards requested that we prioritize quick and reliable bus service,” Ellen Beckmann, the county’s transportation director, said in a written statement. “The BRT Vision Plan will identify the specific projects and corridors that we want to advance using our local sales tax to accomplish this goal.”

    BRT is a bus system with some similarities to rail. Passengers board from covered, elevated platforms, as on a train car, and electronic boards show when the next bus is due to arrive. The buses also get priority green lights at intersections and often travel in their own dedicated lanes, to avoid getting slowed by traffic.

    Both Raleigh and Chapel Hill have committed to bus rapid transit. Raleigh hopes to begin service on the state’s first BRT line along New Bern Avenue by the summer of 2030 and plans three more BRT lines radiating from downtown. Chapel Hill expects to begin building a line through the heart of town in 2027, connecting the Eubanks Road park-and-ride lot near Interstate 40 with Southern Village.

    Meanwhile, the city of Durham is planning what it calls Central Durham Bus Rapid Transit. It will run about 5 miles from Wellons Village through downtown to the Duke University and Veterans Administration medical centers.

    Compared to rail, bus rapid transit is much easier to develop and less expensive. GoRaleigh expects to spend $108 million to build the 5.4-mile New Bern Avenue line, or about $20 million per mile. In contrast, planners estimated several years ago that a proposed commuter rail line between Durham and Garner would cost $75 million to $80 million per mile.

    GoTriangle completed a feasibility study for the commuter rail line in early 2023, then shelved the project after it became clear the federal government would not help pay for it. An earlier effort to build commuter rail between Durham and Raleigh was also abandoned in 2006 after failing to win federal support or funding.

    Meanwhile, GoTriangle gave up on a proposed 18-mile light rail line between Durham and Chapel Hill in 2019, after the Federal Transit Administration said the project was unlikely to qualify for federal funding because of rising costs and uncertainty over acquiring the needed right-of-way.

    How to learn more and be heard

    To learn more about Durham County’s Bus Rapid Transit Vision Plan, including a link to the survey, go to durhambrtvision.com/. The survey will be live through Nov. 29.

    The county also plans three workshops — two in person and one online:

    • Thursday, Oct. 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Durham County Main Library, 300 North Roxboro St.
    • Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Durham Station, 515 West Pettigrew St. (Use Willard Street entrance to avoid construction.)
    • Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. online at kimley-horn.zoom.us/j/98587989690/.

    Related Stories from Raleigh News & Observer

    Richard Stradling

    The News & Observer

    Richard Stradling covers transportation for The News & Observer. Planes, trains and automobiles, plus ferries, bicycles, scooters and just plain walking. He’s been a reporter or editor for 38 years, including the last 26 at The N&O. 919-829-4739, rstradling@newsobserver.com.

    Richard Stradling

    Source link

  • Metro to Begin Utility Exploration Construction for the BRT Project

    Busses like the Burbank Bus will use the BRT (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

    Metro to Begin Pre-Construction Work in Burbank for North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit Project The North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project is moving forward, with Metro set to begin preliminary construction activities in Burbank starting the week of September 8, 2025. The project, part of Metro’s larger transit expansion plan, will connect North Hollywood, Eagle Rock, Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena with a new zero-emission BRT service designed to improve access to jobs, schools, and community destinations across the region.

    The early work in Burbank will focus on locating and identifying underground utilities—a process known as potholing—at several key intersections. Crews will be active for approximately one week in September, with the possibility of returning in early October for additional work.

    Impacted Areas in Burbank

    • Olive Avenue: Lane reductions northbound and southbound between Kenwood Street and the Ventura Freeway (SR-134) overpass, and intermittent lane reductions between Lima Street and Alameda Avenue.
    • Hollywood Way: Right turn lane onto northbound Olive Avenue reduced, though right turns exiting Warner Bros. Studios will be maintained.
    • Alameda Avenue: Lane reductions westbound from Lincoln Street to Buena Vista Street, and eastbound from Frederic Street to Buena Vista Street.
    • Buena Vista Street: Intermittent lane reductions at Alameda Avenue, with a reduced right turn lane onto westbound Alameda Avenue.

    Work Hours and What to Expect

    Work will occur Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Only one lane will be closed at a time, and crews will reopen lanes at the end of each workday. Signs and flaggers will help direct traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians through the area, with access to sidewalks, crosswalks, and local businesses maintained.

    Residents and businesses should expect noise and minimal vibration as potholing crews bore into the roadway or sidewalk to locate utilities. Temporary parking restrictions will be posted in the immediate work areas, and Metro bus stops in the construction zones may be temporarily relocated.

    Looking Ahead

    The North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT will provide faster, more reliable service along a heavily traveled corridor, easing congestion and promoting sustainable transportation. Metro emphasizes that construction schedules are subject to change, and updates will be provided throughout the process.

    For detailed maps and the latest schedule updates, residents can visit bit.ly/BurbankPreconstruction or the project’s website at metro.net/nohopasbrt. Riders with questions about service changes can call 323.GoMetro.

    BurCal Apartments8715

    Staff

    Source link

  • Colfax BRT construction starts soon near Civic Center — with worries for local businesses Colfax BRT construction starts near Civic Center in October

    Colfax BRT construction starts soon near Civic Center — with worries for local businesses Colfax BRT construction starts near Civic Center in October

    A snowy day over Colfax Avenue near City Park. Nov. 17, 2022.

    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    Construction on Denver’s first bus rapid transit line will begin on Colfax Avenue next month, after Denver City Council approved an approximately $197 million construction contract Monday with Kraemer North America LLC to build the project.

    The first construction phase will stretch from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax, near Civic Center Park, for just more than a mile eastward to Williams Street.

    A rendering of segment of Colfax Avenue after the BRT project.
    A rendering of a portion of Colfax Avenue after the BRT project is complete from contractor Kraemer, N.A., Inc.
    Source: Denver City Council

    Once finished, around 2027, Colfax Avenue between downtown Denver and Aurora will be transformed from a car-centric commercial corridor to a street betting big on public transit, with the hope that increased ridership will follow.

    The project will drop a lane of car traffic to build bus rapid transit—a bus only lane running in the center of the street, with dedicated bus stations throughout the route. The project will also bring widened sidewalks, new trees and improved pedestrian crossings and lighting.

    Funding comes from a mix of federal and local money.

    A map of Colfax Avenue shows when proposed construction segments will take place.
    The proposed construction timeline from Colfax BRT contractor Kraemer, N.A., Inc.
    Source: Denver City Council

    The plan has been in the works for over a decade. 

    Now that the groundbreaking is nearing, some city council members worry about the potential effects of the construction on businesses.

    The city has $2.8 million set aside in the 2025 budget for businesses struggling due to construction projects, mostly along the 16th Street Mall and Colfax Avenue.

    But council member Amanda Sawyer said it’s not enough—she wants an additional $1.1 million.

    Sawyer emphasized that the money isn’t just important for supporting local business owners. Thriving local businesses bring in sales tax, which Denver relies on to help run the city more broadly—and which has been softening in the past year.

    “This is the one request I am making,” she said Monday. “We are in a tight budget next year, we have to fund these businesses appropriately.”

    Sawyer said she has asked the mayor’s office to increase funding for Colfax businesses in the 2025 budget. If that doesn’t happen, she said she plans to bring a budget amendment through city council.

    “This is a hill I’m going to die on,” she said. “Stay tuned for more.”

    In a statement, Mayor Mike Johnston’s office reiterated that the budget already included millions for business support, and said conversations could continue as the council considers the budget in coming months.

    “Mayor Johnston is committed to supporting the local businesses that make Denver so vibrant,” wrote spokesperson Jordan Fuja. “As we continue the budget process, we will work closely with Council and city agencies to ensure these businesses have the support they need to thrive in our city.”

    A rendering of a bus station along Colfax Avenue.
    A rendering of a bus station along Colfax Avenue from contractor Kraemer, N.A., Inc.
    Source: Denver City Council

    Construction will wrap up in late 2027. 

    Here’s the timeline for the project:

    • Broadway to Williams Street from late 2024 to late 2025
    • Williams Street to Monroe Street from early 2025 to early 2026
    • Monroe Street to Niagara Street from late 2025 to late 2026
    • Yosemite Street to I-225 from late 2025 to late 2026
    • Niagara Street to Yosemite St. from early 2026 to mid-2027

    Plans for BRT on Colorado Boulevard and Federal Boulevard are also in the works.

    Source link