Analysis of Top BUS RAPID TRANSIT Projects in North America SPONSORED BY APRIL 2007 METRO MAGAZINE 27
BRT Projects Continue tothrive This year s compilation of METRO s BRT 25 survey showcases 35 projects in 25 cities across 15 U.S. states, as well as extending its reach to Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Of the 35 projects listed in the survey, 32 provided capital costs, with the total capital cost estimated for all projects to be $4.9 billion, or about $154.6 million per project. Among the 18 projects currently in service, and which provided capital costs data, the total dips to $2.1 billion, or $117.2 million per project. Powering BRT LNG 2.5% Undetermined 8% Clean diesel 44% Fuel cell 2.5% CNG 15% Hybridelectric 28% Among all survey respondents, more projects are using or plan to use clean diesel fuel than any other type of propulsion system. Hybrid-electric systems are the second-most chosen, with nearly one-third of the projects utilizing this technology. Estimated capital costs for 32 projects total $4.9 billion, or about $154.6 million per project. Fifteen U.S. states, as well as cities in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, are represented. By Janna Starcic, Managing Editor Agencies in the listing plan to purchase 485 BRT vehicles in 2007, which equates to approximately 13 buses per project on the list. Thirty-two of the 35 BRT projects listed have determined the propulsion system for their buses, while the remaining three are undecided. Among all survey respondents, more projects are using or plan to use clean diesel fuel than any other type of propulsion system. Hybrid-electric systems rank second, with nearly one-third of the projects utlilizing this technology. In terms of vehicle characteristics, 94% of projects plan to or are already using low-floor vehicles. Twenty projects list articulated styles, while 13 have selected conventional buses as their BRT vehicle of choice. Twenty-four projects include vehicle tracking in their ITS specifications, and 23 projects vehicles will be equipped for signal manipulation. Methods of fare collection vary, with on-board infrastructures garnering the lion s share of projects at 18 and off-board projects totaling 17. Project highlights include the February launch of Eugene, Ore.-based Lane Transit District s $24 million EmX service, which features six articulated lowfloor New Flyer buses. Right on the heels of LTD, West Covina, Calif.-based Foothill Transit, a newcomer to our listing, launched its Silver Streak line (see story on pg. 16). This $31.5 million project features 30 60-foot articulated vehicles manufactured by North American Bus Industries Inc. Another notable addition to our listing is the Orange County (Calif.) Transportation Authority s BRT Program, a $128 million project that would utilize mixed-flow arterials with a fleet of 78 CNGfueled vehicles. 28 METRO MAGAZINE APRIL 2007
1. Albany,N.Y. NY5 BRT - Capital $16.3 2008 12 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,low floors, On-board,cash/coin, Hybrid-electric Signal manipulation, District Transportation million enhanced stops, enhanced aesthetics, magnetic strip vehicle tracking, Authority designated stations, passenger amenities 2. *Atlanta I-75 Northwest $740 2015 54 Barrier-separated HOV Designated stations, Articulated,low floors, Off-board Clean diesel Vehicle tracking, Corridor - Georgia million lanes enhanced aesthetics, Regional Transportation passenger amenities Authority/ Cobb Community Transit 3. Boston Silver Line Phase 1 - $52 million 2002 17 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Articulated,low floors, CNG Signal manipulation, Massachusetts Bay enhanced stops, added doors vehicle tracking, Transportation Authority designated stations, Boston Silver Line Phase 2 - $601 2004 32 Mixed-flow arterials, Basic stops/shelters, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,on-board, Clean diesel, Passenger information, MBTA million mixed-flow freeways, designated stations, passenger amenities, barrier-enforced, dual mode at-grade transitways, intermodal terminals added doors, cash/coin,magnetic strip trolley subways luggage racks 4. Chicago PARTNER - Pace n/a 2010 n/a Mixed-flow arterials Enhanced stops, Conventional,low floors, On-board Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Suburban Bus designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, vehicle tracking, passenger amenities, branded 5. Cleveland Euclid Avenue Corridor - $168 million 2008 20 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated,low floors, Off-board Hybrid-electric Vehicle tracking, Greater Cleveland dedicated arterials dedicated stations, enhanced aesthetics, Regional Transit passenger amenities, Authority added doors, 6. Eugene,Ore. Franklin EmX - $24 million 2007 6 Mixed-flow arterials, Designated stations, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,self-service, Hybrid-electric Signal manipulation, Lane Transit District at-grade running ways enhanced aesthetics, initially fare free added doors, Eugene,Ore. Pioneer Parkway EmX - $38 million 2010 4 Dedicated arterials, Designated stations, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,self-service Hybrid-electric Precision docking, Lane Transit at-grade transitways enhanced aesthetics, vehicle guidance, added doors, 7. Hartford,Conn. New Britain - Hartford $458 2012 30 At-grade transitways, Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,articulated, Off-board,self-service Hybrid-electric, Signal manipulation, Busway - Connecticut million grade-separated enhanced stops, low floors, clean diesel, vehicle tracking, Department of transitways designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, fuel cell Transportation passenger amenities, 8. *Indianapolis DiRecTionS - $850 2012 n/a Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Low floors, To be determined To be To be determined Indianapolis million dedicated arterials, designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, determined Metropolitan Planning at-grade transitways, passenger amenities Organization grade-separated transitways 9. Kansas,Mo. MAX Main Street BRT - $21 million 2005 13 Mixed-flow arterials Enhanced stops, Low floors, On-board,cash/coin, Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Kansas Area designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, smart card,magnetic strip vehicle tracking, Transportation Authority, passenger amenities, real-time signs,kiosks, wider aisles maps *Other rapid transit modes (LRT,commuter rail,etc.) may also be under consideration in these corridors #Refers to one corridor with two phases APRIL 2007 METRO MAGAZINE 29
10. Las Vegas Metropolitan Area $20.3 2004 10 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated,low floors, Off-board Hybrid-electric Signal manipulation, Express (MAX) - million dedicated arterials designated stations enhanced aesthetics, precision docking, Regional Transportation added doors vehicle tracking, Commission of Southern Nevada 11. Los Angeles Metro Rapid Program - $110 2000 300 Mixed-flow arterials Designated stations, Conventional, On-board,cash/coin CNG Signal manipulation, Los Angeles County million articulated,low floors vehicle tracking, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Los Angeles Metro Orange Line - $350 2005 30 Dedicated arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated, Off-board,on-board, CNG Vehicle tracking, LACMTA million grade-separated designated stations, low floors, self-service,cash/coin, transitways enhanced aesthetics, smart card transit TV, wider doors, bike paths 12. Mexico Metrobus - Center for $30 million 2005 90 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,self-service, Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Sustainable Transport dedicated arterials designated stations, enhanced aesthetics cash/coin,smart card vehicle tracking in Mexico 13. #Miami South Miami-Dade $130 2007 41 Mixed-flow arterials, Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,articulated, On-board,cash/coin CNG Vehicle tracking, Busway - Miami-Dade million dedicated arterials enhanced stops, low floors Transit Agency (both designated stations, phases), kiosks 14. Minneapolis Northwest Corridor - $20 million 2007 12 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Low floors, Off-board,self-service Hybrid-electric Signal manipulation, Metro Transit dedicated arterials, designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, vehicle tracking, HOV lanes added doors, passenger information 15. Oakland,Calif. San Pablo Rapid - $14 million 2003 16 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,low floors, On-board,cash/coin, Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Alameda County Transit enhanced stops enhanced aesthetics, magnetic strip vehicle tracking, passenger amenities, passenger information added doors Oakland and East Bay BRT - AC Transit $250 2010 30 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated, Off-board Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Berkeley million at-grade transitways designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, precision docking, added doors, vehicle guidance, vehicle tracking, Oakland Telegraph/International $20 million 2007 20 Mixed-flow arterials Enhanced stops Articulated,low floors, Off-board Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Rapid - AC Transit enhanced aesthetics, passenger information added doors 16. Orlando,Fla. FlexBus - LYNX $3.9 million 2009 15 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Low floors, Off-board,smart card To be Signal manipulation, at-grade transitways designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, determined vehicle tracking, land use policies passenger amenities, wider aisles dynamic response trip routing 17. Orange,Calif. OCTA BRT Program - $128.5 2008 78 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Conventional,low floors On-board,cash/coin, CNG Signal manipulation, Orange County million mixed flow freeways, magnetic strip vehicle tracking, Transportation Authority ADA compliant,transit TV 30 METRO MAGAZINE APRIL 2007
18. Pittsburgh South Busway - Port $27 million 1977 n/a Grade-separated Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,low floors On-board Clean diesel n/a Authority of Allegheny transitways designated stations, County Pittsburgh East Busway - Port $113 million 1983 n/a Grade-separated Designated stations, Conventional,articulated, On-board Hybrid-electric, n/a Authority transitways low floors,motorcoaches clean diesel, landscaping Pittsburgh West Busway - $275 2000 n/a At-grade transitways, Designated stations, Conventional,low floors, On-board Clean diesel n/a Port Authority million grade-separated motorcoaches transitways pedestrian-friendly areas,landscaping Pittsburgh MLK East Busway $68 million 2003 n/a Grade-separated Designated stations, Conventional,articulated, On-board Hybrid-electric, n/a Extension - Port transitways low floors,motorcoaches clean diesel Authority, landscaping 19. Provo,Utah Provo-Orem BRT - $80 million 2011 15 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Articulated Off-board,smart card, Hybrid electric Signal manipulation, Mountainland magnetic strip vehicle tracking, Association of passenger information Governments 20. *Reno,Nev. Virginia Street Corridor - $21 million 2008 10 Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,self service To be Signal manipulation, Regional Transportation dedicated arterials designated stations, enhanced aesthetics, determined vehicle tracking, Commission of Washoe County 21. San Bernardino, SbX - Omnitrans $163 2010 23 Mixed-flow arterials, Basic stops/shelters, Articulated,low floors, Off-board,smart card Hybrid-electric Signal manipulation, Calif. million dedicated arterials, enhanced stops, enhanced aesthetics, precision docking, at-grade transitways designated stations, passenger amenities vehicle guidance, vehicle tracking, 22. San Juan, Rio Hondo Corridor - $65 million 2003 n/a Mixed-flow arterials, Enhanced stops, Conventional,low floors Off-board,magnetic strip Clean diesel Signal manipulation, Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus dedicated arterials, vehicle tracking, Authority HOV lanes 23. Santa Monica, Rapid Blue - Big Blue Bus $7 million 2005 10 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,low floors, On-board,cash/coin LNG Signal manipulation Calif. enhanced stops, enhanced aesthetics, designated stations passenger amenities 24. Vancouver, #97 B-Line - Translink n/a 2002 9 Mixed-flow arterials Basic stops/shelters, Conventional,low floors On-board,cash/coin, Clean diesel n/a British Columbia enhanced stops, magnetic strip Vancouver #98 B-Line - Translink $52 million 2001 25 Mixed-flow arterials, Designated stations, Articulated,low floors, On-board,cash/coin, Clean diesel Signal manipulation, at-grade transitways enhanced aesthetics magnetic strip vehicle tracking, Vancouver #99 B-Line - Translink n/a 1996 34 Mixed-flow arterials Enhanced stops, Articulated,low floors On-board,cash/coin, Clean diesel Signal manipulation designated stations, magnetic strip 25. West Covina, Silver Streak - $31.5 2007 30 Mixed-flow arterials, Articulated,low floors, On-board CNG Signal manipulation, Calif. Foothill Transit million semi-dedicated lanes enhanced aesthetics, vehicle tracking, passenger amenities 32 METRO MAGAZINE APRIL 2007