The Benefits of Bus Rapid Transit Compared to Light Rail
Posted October 28, 2011
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By Wes Guckert, PTP
The Urban Mobility Report recently released by the Texas Transportation Institute states that the Baltimore Washington region now has the worst traffic congestion in the country - surpassing Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and New York. The report found that the average automobile commuter is delayed 74 hours each year, which burns through 37 gallons of gasoline and costs each commuter $1,495 dollars! By comparison, commuters here averaged a yearly delay of 14 hours in 1982.
Clearly, traffic congestion has become more than just a nuisance. It costs the average Marylander both time and money. In addition to the added costs for fuel, frequent auto repairs, and lost productivity, congestion is severely impacting our environment and overall quality of life.
With the U.S. population predicted to grow by 35 percent - or 110 million people - over the next 40 years, the solution to traffic congestion isn't simply to build more roads. Like it or not, we need to move away from single occupant vehicles. We need denser, more walkable, and more bikable transit oriented communities (or TODs). Luckily, these communities are becoming more popular and available in our area, as communities such as Columbia's Maple Lawn become more prevalent. Montgomery County has been particularly forward-thinking in its development of a variety of transit-oriented developments.
Perhaps the most cost-effective way to achieve transit-oriented developments is through extension of the region's metro systems. Doing so through light rail transit or heavy rail metro is expensive. Rather, the most cost effective solution just might be a Bus Rapid Transit System, or BRT. These systems use Rapid Transit Vehicles equipped with Wi-Fi, level boarding, and off-vehicle payment systems. Rapid Transit Vehicles are flexible and serve dual purposes: they can ride on a fixed guideway, but have the ability to leave the guideway and take another route if necessary.
And the other good news when it comes to BRT is what traffic engineers call the 80-20 Rule. This means BRT costs 20 percent of a light rail system and could capture 80-85 percent of light rail riders. In other words, this has the potential to save Maryland - or any other state - millions of dollars while reducing traffic congestion.
Examples of BRT Currently in Use
One of the best examples of a BRT system in the United States is found in Cleveland, Ohio. The transit stops are iconic along the system named the Health Line, with paid naming rights by the Cleveland Clinic. The stations could be mistaken for metro or light rail stops with all the amenities. Cleveland's BRT vehicles can carry 175 passengers, which equates to removing up to 140-160 cars off the road. To top it off, economic growth and density along the Health Line corridor has generated billions in development, jobs and taxes.
Perhaps the most famous BRT system worldwide is located in Bogotá, Columbia, which carries 30,000 - 42,000 passengers per hour! While locally we may not need a transit system to accommodate that many people, the bottom line is that BRT systems present us with a transportation option that is economically feasible and has a proven track record of reducing traffic congestion through widespread consumer acceptance.
Wes Guckert, PTP, is President of The Traffic Group, one of the nation's leading traffic engineering and transportation planning firms headquartered in White Marsh, Maryland.
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