THE GAZETTE
Page A-12
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 p
Friendship Heights crowd agrees with Floreen: ‘No’ on bus rapid transit plan Buses would be in mixed traffic instead of having their own lanes n
BY AGNES BLUM STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County’s proposed bus rapid transit plan had no defenders at an informational meeting Councilwoman Nancy M. Floreen held at the Friendship Heights Village Center Monday night. That included Floreen herself. “I’m not an advocate of this. I’m with you,” Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park told a critic of the plan in the
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audience. The proposed rapid transit bus lanes are part of the comprehensive Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan meant to improve transportation options, be more environmentally friendly, and support local businesses, according to county planners. Part of the original plan was to run dedicated curbed bus lanes from the Friendship Heights Metro to Shakespeare Boulevard in Germantown, and as mixed-traffic lanes to Redgrave Place in Clarksburg. According to county documents, curbed lanes can be created without having to acquire any property. The Coalition for Smarter Growth, a mass transit advocacy group, has
called the plan “groundbreaking.” But the plan nowcallsforbuses to be in mixed traffic rather than having their own lanes, Floreen said, which reFloreen duces potentially faster bus routes to the speed of regular ones. The proposal isn’t worth the cost, she and others said, and without the dedicated bus lanes, the system makes even less sense, as it won’t significantly cut travel times.
“We could run express buses today,” Floreen said. “But we don’t. Why don’t we?” Studies have shown that ridership is not there, she said. “Also, is it that much better than driving? Or taking the regular bus?” Floreen asked. “Is this really worth the gazillions of dollars it’s going to cost? You tell me.” The tenor of the responses in the room indicated the audience felt “no.” In addition to added congestion more buses would bring to the area, there is also concern about the environmental impact, said Barbara Tauben, a former elected member of the Friendship Heights Village Council
and a founder and past president of the Friendship Heights Village Civic Association. “We have so many transit options now, we don’t need more,” Tauben said. “My recommendation would be to terminate the BRT in Bethesda because that location is going to be redeveloped anyway.” Floreen urged residents to continue expressing their opinions, either at upcoming meetings or by contacting the county council by email. The council was scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan on Tuesday night and will hold another one Thursday night.