Friday, March 20, 2009

What is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)?

BRT is an innovative, high capacity, lower cost public transit solution that can significantly improve urban mobility. This permanent, integrated system uses buses or specialized vehicles on roadways or dedicated lanes to quickly and efficiently transport passengers to their destinations, while offering the flexibility to meet transit demand. BRT systems can easily be customized to community needs and incorporate state-of-the-art, low-cost technologies that result in more passengers and less congestion.

From the Nation Bus Rapid Transit Institute

BRT for same cost

For the $500 million price of Grand Parkway Segment E, we could build a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in a congestion-free dedicated guideway from Spring to Sugar Land along the FM 1960 and Highway 6 median. This would dramatically increase the capacity of the corridor, and reduce congestion and pollution. New transit-oriented development would revitalize and beautify blighted areas. Instead, we are building another ring of tollway in the prairie, thereby inducing more sprawl. Public officials need to learn from other cities.


Peter Wang, Cy-Fair/Copperfield
Houston Chronicle Letters to the Editor
published March 20,2009