Specific Features
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What is BRT?
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a new form of public transportation that uses public roads, right-of-way and transit advantages to provide dependable, high-speed bus service regardless of weather or traffic conditions.
BRT has benefited passengers in many cities in the United States, Canada, South America and Europe. You can learn more about this from the Federal Transit Administration.
BRT is fast, convenient and accessible. It combines the advantages of rail transit with the flexibility of bus service. BRT features real-time messaging that alerts passengers to arrival and departure times, and traffic signal priority for buses that provides commuters with a sense of reliability.
BRT supports integrated transit/ land use planning (zoning, redevelopment, etc.) connecting transit stations to locations where people live and work. In addition, planned road upgrades and modern customer facilities will allow for safe stops and fewer turns, resulting in comfortable, efficient service.
Specific features in the Northwest Corridor may include:
Bus Lanes:
In some places buses will operate in mixed traffic; in others where public right-of-way is wider, buses will operate in bus-only lanes to allow for faster, more reliable travel times and efficient service.
In Robbinsdale, express service to downtown would use transit advantages on Highway 100 and I-394 to reach Minneapolis, while local service would travel on County Road 81 and Broadway to downtown, or connect at the Robbinsdale Transit Center and continue into downtown Minneapolis using either Emerson and Fremont avenues, Lyndale or Washington Avenue.
Infrastructure improvements:
New stations conveniently located along the route, additional park-and-ride lots, queue jump lanes for buses and other improvements will result in safe boarding, fewer turns and faster operations. Portions of County Road 81 also will be reconstructed.
The first segment to be rebuilt extends from Lowry Avenue on the Minneapolis/Robbinsdale border to north of Bass Lake Road (County Road 10). Future projects will rebuild County Road 81 as far as Highway 169. The new roadway will provide safe pedestrian crossings at intersections, and landscaping amenities to enhance the corridor while maintaining traffic flow.
Signal preference:
Technology can be used to give buses that are traveling in mixed traffic priority at traffic signals. At these intersections, a bus will be given a green light a few seconds before other traffic, allowing it a time advantage.
Convenience:
Stations will have off-board fare collection machines so customers can purchase their tickets before boarding a bus. This eliminates farebox-related delays and speeds up both boarding and travel time. Electronic messaging will let customers know when the next bus will arrive.
Integrated with other bus service:
Customers will be able to transfer between the BRT line and other bus routes at stations located along the way.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD):
Combines traditional land use planning with transportation systems to create walkable neighborhoods that contain a mix of uses to support the needs and desires of the community (living, working, shopping, entertainment). Designing this in a pedestrian-friendly manner supports public transit operations, and ensures the community continues to be a great place to live. Land use planning and design will be done utilizing the Metropolitan Council's Regional Development Framework principles.
