White Paper | Future of BRT by hntbcompanies

The role BRT is playing in the future

of public transit

How the mode is evolving and steps that cities are taking to use BRT as a tool to help better connect communities

Bus rapid transit offers numerous benefits, which is why the mode is becoming an attractive option for many U.S. cities seeking to enhance urban mobility. This white paper addresses the uptick in adoption and BRT’s future as a competitive transit alternative.

Inside:

• Evaluating BRT’s success

• How BRT helps address equity concerns

• The trend of improving reliability and speed

BRT’s continued adoption

From San Francisco to Raleigh, N.C., cities nationwide are seeking solutions to increase mobility, and a growing number are seeing the value of bus rapid transit. In 2022, nine BRT routes opened across the country. In 2023, seven more are expected to go online, with at least three additional lines to follow in 2024. In total, they represent close to 190 miles of new BRT lines and more than $2 billion in investment.1

WHITE PAPER | 2023

Developments at the federal level indicate BRT is picking up speed as a highly realistic option in many regions. For example, the criteria used to evaluate transit projects tend to favor lower-cost capital projects that can deliver significant transit improvements – and BRT can meet that qualification. Second, the Federal Transit Administration awarded $375 million to help build BRT lines in 2020, the largest amount in the past decade. According to FTA, another 40 BRT projects are in the Capital Investment Grants pipeline, and 15 of those projects have either been recommended for or allocated funding.

Investing in lower-cost projects, including BRT lines, allows the U.S. Department of Transportation to invest in more projects in more regions and states, such as South Carolina, which has been recommended for its first CIG Full Funding Grant Agreement in the president’s fiscal year 2024 budget.

In 2022, Congress introduced H.R. 9648, the Bus Rapid Transit Act, which, if passed, would allocate $12 billion per year for five years to BRT projects across the nation, funneling dollars directly to transit operations and helping cities invest in the design and construction of new BRT systems, including overhauls of current bus routes.

A to Z benefits of BRT

When done right, BRT projects can bring multiple benefits, which range from affordability to zero emissions.

• Easier, faster and less expensive to build. Depending on the location, a BRT line can go from planning to construction in as little as four to six years. Indianapolis built phase 1 of its 13mile IndyGo BRT line in just 15 months for $96.3 million. The system runs a bus every 10 minutes and saw ridership surpass 100,000 passengers in June 2022, equal to pre-pandemic levels. Indianapolis is now breaking ground on a second 15-mile BRT line.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Peoria Avenue BRT line was delivered in three years, design through construction. The city is now planning a second line with additional expansion being considered.

• Right-sized investments. BRT offers the possibility of efficient – and less expensive –transit capacity for most urbanized areas. In addition to Tulsa and Indianapolis, regions around Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio and San Antonio, Texas are advancing multi-corridor BRT plans.

Defining BRT

FTA defines bus rapid transit as a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast and efficient service that may include dedicated lanes, busways, traffic signal priority, offboard fare collection, elevated platforms and enhanced stations. Reduced headways – 15 to 10 minutes or less – is another feature of BRT.

• An extension of/or complement to rail. Cities without funding to support rail extensions or to complement existing rail service are considering BRT as an alternative solution for meeting their mobility objectives.

With its core heavy rail system built out, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is advancing an ambitious program of BRT projects to extend the reach of high-capacity transit in its service area. The Denver region also is studying BRT in several corridors. Houston’s University Line BRT and the Utah Transit Authority’s Midvalley Connector BRT were recommended for funding in the FTA’s fiscal year 2024 CIG budget.

• Adjustable routes. BRT can deviate from the main route to incorporate short excursions to high-demand locations, employers and attractions.

• Transit-oriented development. When thoughtfully and carefully planned, BRT can support an increase in affordable housing units and often improves streetscapes with new sidewalks, lighting, curb cuts, pedestrian signals and bike lanes.

A study by the University of Arizona between 2013 and 2019 found employment and residential growth around BRT stations in 11 cities accounted for a significant percentage of regional growth. Jacksonville, Fla., for example, saw $1.6 billion in residential and commercial permit requests within a half-mile of its BRT lines.2

Researchers at Ohio State University studied the impact of BRT on property values near 11 BRT systems in 10 U.S. cities and found three of the systems experienced significant property value increases near stations. Key success

indicators included dedicated lanes along a major thoroughfare.3

In addition to BRT’s potential to catalyze economic development, cities, such as Raleigh, are promoting affordable housing development near stations Others are incorporating BRT into their strategic, coordinated growth and development plans.

• Equity. BRT can help improve transportation equity and access in underserved communities by bringing premium transit to more neighborhoods faster.

• Sustainable. Battery-powered buses help cities and transit operators advance zero-emissions goals. Electric vehicles have no emissions and are quieter than diesel-powered buses.

Funding allocated in 2022 by FTA’s Buses and Bus Facilities and Low- and No-Emission Vehicle programs will nearly double the number of no-emission transit buses on America’s roadways. More than $1.6 billion is available annually in grant monies, making this technology a realistic option for regions working to lower greenhouse gas emissions.4

Many cities already have embraced zeroemissions vehicles and have a host of best practices to offer those considering adoption:5

- Austin’s CapMetro, which plans to achieve 100% zero emissions by 2035 and carbon neutrality by 2040, began transitioning its 400-vehicle fleet to zero-emission battery electric buses in 2020.

- The Jacksonville Transportation Authority began implementing alternative fuel vehicles eight years ago.

- Denver’s RTD owns a subfleet of 36 battery electric buses operating on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, and next year, the RTD will add 17 new 40-foot Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ heavy-duty battery electric transit buses. The new technology will advance the RTD toward goals outlined in the Colorado Climate Action Plan and Colorado’s Electric Vehicles Plan, which requires transit fleets to transition to 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2050.

An evolving, viable alternative

Since BRT lines were first developed in the 2000s, the mode has evolved to meet passengers’ expectations and owners’ mobility objectives with limited resources. HNTB is monitoring several industry trends and has identified the following as three of the most significant:

1. Mimicking the performance of rail. Birmingham, Ala., promotes its Xpress BRT line as “light-rail transit on rubber tires,” an indication of where BRT is headed. Transit owners are introducing efficiencies and amenities that mimic the speed and reliability of rail. Buses are sleeker, with doors that open on both sides, onboard WiFi, electrical outlets, USB charging ports and comfortable seating.

Other enhancements include dedicated lanes, the number one determinant of BRT success. The more robust the dedicated lanes, the more reliable the service. In addition to signage and striping, that means physically separating the general-purpose lanes from the BRT lane, as the following cities have done:

- Houston METRO’s Gold Line separates automobiles from BRT with a six-inch curb.

- Minneapolis’ 17-mile Orange Line is a highway BRT line that operates in the median of I-35W.

- LA Metro’s Orange Line operates in dedicated lanes on the freeway and surface streets.

- Connecticut’s CTfastrak system uses a busonly roadway for all or portions of trips.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is pursuing the city’s most ambitious effort to double the number of dedicated bus lanes on congested streets. The city plans to build 150 miles of new and enhanced bus lanes over the next four years, creating one of the largest such networks in the world.6

Other strategies to discourage motorists from driving in BRT lanes include rumble strips and truncated domes, best used in cities not concerned with snow removal.

Dedicated lanes are also a safety enhancement. Extracting BRT buses from mixed traffic and allowing them to operate in barrier-separated lanes reduces the chance of bus vs. automobile collisions.

2. Targeted, surgical strikes of efficiency. Cities also are enhancing the speed and reliability of existing BRT with quick, minimally disruptive, less expensive pinpoint improvements. Owners identify specific pain points, such as high-traffic intersections, where bus travel is slowed by congestion and remedy the bottlenecks by inserting a short bus lane and a queue jump designed to give buses a head-start before traffic signals turn green.

Other solutions include widening entrances and exits to rail stations and constructing curb bulb-outs, so buses don’t have to emerge back into traffic.

The District Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., has identified 51 priority projects under its Bus Priority Program. Enhancements include bus lanes to reduce congestion delays, queue jumps, bulb-outs to allow passengers a safe space to wait and board from the travel lane and transit signal priority for more greenlight time.

3. Sophisticated passenger communications. Designed to enhance the customer experience, BRT stations typically feature greater shelter from the elements, more seating, public art and other amenities, which make for a more comfortable passenger experience. Many stations also include digital kiosks with realtime arrival information and countdown clocks to help riders better plan their trips.

What’s next for BRT?

Because of its growing use, BRT is an alternative to consider to help in future improvements and enhancements to our nation’s public transit systems. EV costs are expected to eventually decline as battery life becomes longer and more reliable. Together, these developments will result in fewer trips to the garage for charging, less need for battery replacement and lower costs for EV bus maintenance.

Beyond that, as automated and connected vehicle technologies become more mainstream, we may see bus manufacturers begin to incorporate them into rolling stock. For example, technology enhancements may make precision docking a reality in the near future. Pulling up to the exact same place at the station at precisely the same distance from the platform could facilitate safer, more efficient boarding and alighting. Other technologies, such as lane crossing warning systems, accident-avoidance systems and

automatic braking, could enhance the safety and operations of BRT.

A mode to be considered

Available federal funding, combined with BRT’s affordability, sustainability, flexibility, equity and economic development benefits, are reasons to consider BRT as a practical mode to support local transit systems. Further, ridership in most areas across the country is rebounding from pandemic losses and outpacing other modes. As BRT continues to evolve and mature, it is not only gaining speed as a viable solution but an attractive one that should always be considered.

Authors

Mark Huffer, HNTB Corporation Project Director, National BRT Leader mhuffer@hntb.com

*Source:

1. Source: https://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2022/01/24/ openings-and-construction-starts-planned-for2022/

2. Source: https://capla.arizona.edu/studio/urbanplanning-professor-arthur-c-nelson-discussesbus-rapid-transit-investment-washington

3. Source: https://news.osu.edu/bus-rapid-transitimproves-property-values-study-says/

4. Source: https://www.transportation.gov/briefingroom/biden-harris-administration-announcesover-16-billion-bipartisan-infrastructure-law

5. Source: HNTB’s InTransit publication 2023

6. Source: New York Times, Feb.12, 2022

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HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure solutions firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With more than a century of service, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit www.hntb.com.