Bus Rapid Transit in Chicago
An interesting article about Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) being studied in Chicago; benefits, requirements (streets being considered must have (or create) a bike lane).
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on
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I would like to see the buses removed from the traffic stream and given their own lane (which we don't have to share with them) or even their own dedicated road.
When I was in Peru last year they had these special buses that were basically L-trains without the tracks. They had their own dedicated road in many areas and elevated bus stop platforms where the passengers loaded and disembarked on the same level as the bus floor level. They had HUGE doors like our L-train doors so people could get on and off in a hurry both from the front and the back.
Getting the buses off the street would be a good thing. The way they are now they disrupt traffic more than they help by a fair measure and this is even worse when they are running mostly empty.
The idea of getting rid of 75% of the bus stops is a good start though. Have the buses only stop at the major streets instead of every block. This would be a great way to keep the obstruction of stopped buses blocking a lane (the lane we are usually riding in and/or the bike lane) every few seconds and then needing to pull back out again. I'd also like to see ALL bus stops at the far side of an intersection which would be much less disruptive of traffic then stopping at a green light and blocking Right-turning traffic.
Getting the buses off the streets would be a huge safety benifit for us cyclists. But limiting the stops to every major street or at least putting them at 3 blocks apart at the closest would be much better.
I freaking hate those belching noisy dangerous road-hog buses driven by (for the most part) criminally-insane maniacs with little regard or respect for the safety of other road users. If they can't be banished from the street altogether then at least they should be expressed and stop less often so they behave more like the rest of the traffic flow.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on
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Unless they can make "express" buses like the 147 etc... in city traffic I don't see it as very useful or practical.
Chicago would do better by making a new north/south "el" line on the west side connecting the the blue, brown, green and orange lines without needing to go all the way to the loop to transfer, or do the bus shuffle.
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I think express buses would be a great way to link some of the "spokes" of the L-trains rather than spending big money on new L-routes. It could also be implemented immediately and not take years to build.
For example, an express bus that went directly from the Logan Square Blue-line (or maybe Belmont) L/bus station to the Belmont Brown/Red station would be very handy and really link the north neighborhoods East/West. They could do similar routes in other areas to connect the spokes so that people wouldn't need to go all the way downtown.
Planners have talked bout outer-loop L-routes that would do this but the cost difference between building BRT infrastructure such as this and building new L-tracks is HUGE. An express bus could be set up over-night as it would use existing roads and bus stations -just do it smarter.
Mike Zumwalt said:
Unless they can make "express" buses like the 147 etc... in city traffic I don't see it as very useful or practical.
Chicago would do better by making a new north/south "el" line on the west side connecting the the blue, brown, green and orange lines without needing to go all the way to the loop to transfer, or do the bus shuffle.
I think such buses would be great ways to link some of the "spokes" of the L-trains.
An express bus that went directly from the Logan Square or maybe Belmont L/bus station to the Belmont Brown/Red station would be very handy. They could do similar routes in other areas to connect the spokes so that people wouldn't need to go all the way downtown.
Planners have talked bout outer-loop L-routes that would do this but the cost difference between building BRT infrastructure such as this and building new L-tracks is HUGE. An express bus could be set up over-night as it would use existing roads and bus stations -just do it smarter.
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Permalink Reply by Duppie on
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The CTA used to run the X80 express bus on Irving Park from the lake to the blue line (and maybe further west), until it got cut because of funding.I think it stopped every 4 blocks instead of every block
James BlackHeron said:
I think express buses would be a great way to link some of the "spokes" of the L-trains rather than spending big money on new L-routes. It could also be implemented immediately and not take years to build.
For example, an express bus that went directly from the Logan Square Blue-line (or maybe Belmont) L/bus station to the Belmont Brown/Red station would be very handy and really link the north neighborhoods East/West. They could do similar routes in other areas to connect the spokes so that people wouldn't need to go all the way downtown.
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I was just remembering the X-press ones they had. while they made fewer stops sitting in traffic is hardly express. Then they have to have a local bus to accommodate people who only go a few blocks.
Duppie said:
The CTA used to run the X80 express bus on Irving Park from the lake to the blue line (and maybe further west), until it got cut because of funding.I think it stopped every 4 blocks instead of every block
James BlackHeron said:
I think express buses would be a great way to link some of the "spokes" of the L-trains rather than spending big money on new L-routes. It could also be implemented immediately and not take years to build.
For example, an express bus that went directly from the Logan Square Blue-line (or maybe Belmont) L/bus station to the Belmont Brown/Red station would be very handy and really link the north neighborhoods East/West. They could do similar routes in other areas to connect the spokes so that people wouldn't need to go all the way downtown.
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By express I mean it runs from L-station to L-station without making ANY stops in between.
Traffic sucks but not having to stop will speed things up. And the buses could get preferential treatment with automatic traffic signals and a dedicated bus lane in these areas. It should be able to roll between these areas at a significant fraction of the speed that the L moves if it was done with a little bit of common-sense planning when it comes to the route and interactive traffic signaling to get the buses moving.
Build this infrastructure and the people will come. Not only will it be used, but more people would use the rest of the L-network if it were more convenient.
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Permalink Reply by Joel on
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Adding to the L network is probably not going to happen any time soon. Others might know better, but it can easily run more than $100 million per mile. You either have to dig new tunnels or buy out houses to build elevated tracks.
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Exactly.
That's why I think express-bus/BRT linkages to hook up the spokes of the L-lines so that people do not need to ride all the way downtown to transfer to another spoke is a good idea.
It's much cheaper, can be done now and set up very quickly. Even if new L lines are run in the future the BRT links can serve as a stop-gap measure while still offering much-improved usability to the CTA L-lines. taking a slow, stops-every block, bus is just not an option. Hell, you can almost walk faster than that so why bother unless it is too cold or walking isn't possible due to physical limitations.
Another great idea would be to make it easier and more convenient to take one's bike on the L. This would allow us riders to do the short-hauls on our bikes and let the L do the long-hauls in between. But the CTA doesn't seem at all interested in making this happen or creating no-seat bike-only cars for riders that would exist in every train.
Fixing and expanding the CTA so that people would actually WANT to use it in much greater numbers and making it more useful for everyone to get around everywhere would be so easy if only they used a little bit of common sense and creative thinking. But given the history of the megalith of fail I don't really see it happening.
Joel said:Adding to the L network is probably not going to happen any time soon. Others might know better, but it can easily run more than $100 million per mile. You either have to dig new tunnels or buy out houses to build elevated tracks.
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Permalink Reply by John Wirtz on
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Do they really have to?
Mike Zumwalt said:
Then they have to have a local bus to accommodate people who only go a few blocks.
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I know it won't happen anytime soon. There was also talk of a Metra connector train as well.
But Detroit (actually Oakland county) bought a huge section of homes to make a gigantic 8 lane freeway I-696 similar to the I-355 project. Just depends on what they want to get built.
James BlackHeron said:Exactly.
That's why I think express-bus/BRT linkages to hook up the spokes of the L-lines so that people do not need to ride all the way downtown to transfer to another spoke is a good idea.
It's much cheaper, can be done now and set up very quickly. Even if new L lines are run in the future the BRT links can serve as a stop-gap measure while still offering much-improved usability to the CTA L-lines. taking a slow, stops-every block, bus is just not an option. Hell, you can almost walk faster than that so why bother unless it is too cold or walking isn't possible due to physical limitations.
Another great idea would be to make it easier and more convenient to take one's bike on the L. This would allow us riders to do the short-hauls on our bikes and let the L do the long-hauls in between. But the CTA doesn't seem at all interested in making this happen or creating no-seat bike-only cars for riders that would exist in every train.
Fixing and expanding the CTA so that people would actually WANT to use it in much greater numbers and making it more useful for everyone to get around everywhere would be so easy if only they used a little bit of common sense and creative thinking. But given the history of the megalith of fail I don't really see it happening.
Joel said:Adding to the L network is probably not going to happen any time soon. Others might know better, but it can easily run more than $100 million per mile. You either have to dig new tunnels or buy out houses to build elevated tracks.
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No they don't HAVE to but I'm sure the thinking was why have an express bus and then a local bus? just get rid of the express and you'll still get where you need to go.
John Wirtz said:
Do they really have to?
Mike Zumwalt said:
Then they have to have a local bus to accommodate people who only go a few blocks.
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And much like New York a new line could be both express and local depending on the time of day.
All stops during rush hour, limited stops during weekends/off hours.
Works for the Purple line.
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