Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
MARCH 17, 2021
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS BONIN, SOLIS, AND HAHN
Related to Item 16: BRT Vision & Principles Study
Measure M catalyzed Metro's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network by funding multiple lines identified by subregions through a bottoms-up planning process and by creating a new countywide BRT program. The BRT Vision & Principles Study advances Measure M's commitment to build out a unified countywide BRT network. While ambitious, the proposed pace of one BRT project per decade is simply not fast enough to meet the region's mobility, sustainability, and equity goals. Bus riders stuck in traffic today deserve rapid transit now. Metro needs a BRT Early Action Program to accelerate the benefits of BRT to more corridors more quickly.
In parallel with the BRT Vision & Principles Study, Metro completed and has begun implementing the NextGen Bus Plan to realign and speed up bus service systemwide. NextGen's Tier 1 bus network provides high-frequency, all-day service along Metro's highest ridership routes. The NextGen Speed & Reliability Working Group has already begun delivering bus priority projects on particularly congested bus routes. These routes are also targeted for customer experience improvements, including bus stop amenities, real-time arrival information, and all-door boarding. These features are a core subset of the "BRT-Lite" standards in the Vision & Principles Study.
Metro should align its BRT work program with NextGen and the Better Bus Initiative to deliver bus improvements at scale as quickly as possible across the entire network. This approach should roll out BRT features systemwide whenever feasible, starting with high-ridership lines. Where there is alignment between the Vision & Principles strategic BRT network and NextGen's Tier 1 network, the BRT program should develop early action projects that can be delivered immediately by leveraging Measure M with other Metro and municipal funds. Me...
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