Bus Rapid Transit on Ashland - should I like this?

The proposed Bus Rapid Transit strikes me as wrong, but maybe I don't understand. What I don't get is how buses can be faster if they run at surface level with all the intersections.

Also, I don't see drivers smacking their foreheads and exclaiming, "Gee, I could be riding that bus, I'm leaving the car home tomorrow!"

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 9, 2013 at 3:12am

It's not really just "switching to the bus" though. BRT is not the same thing as a traditional city bus, nor is it just a glorified express bus. It's essentially a compromise between buses and light rail, offering benefits of both.

The Gadget said:

I will say this, which is nothing more than anecdotal. I dont know anyone who would switch to the bus. When I'm driving on Ashland, it's either to run an errand like going to the Whole Foods, in which case I'm not taking the bus or I'm just using Ashland to go north/south but still need to go somewhere that's east/west of Ashland. But I understand why people want this, the #9 bus is TORTURE. Hell, most Chicago buses suck. But the #9 is particularly bad. 

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 9, 2013 at 3:39am

On the plus side, the CTA will need to buy brand new buses for the route since the entry will be on the left.  So they'll be nice and new, probably hybrids and all that.  And I would expect the CPD to enforce bus lanes in ways cyclists could only dream of for the three feet of paint on the shoulder dedicated for bikes.

The Gadget said:

I will say this, which is nothing more than anecdotal. I dont know anyone who would switch to the bus. When I'm driving on Ashland, it's either to run an errand like going to the Whole Foods, in which case I'm not taking the bus or I'm just using Ashland to go north/south but still need to go somewhere that's east/west of Ashland. But I understand why people want this, the #9 bus is TORTURE. Hell, most Chicago buses suck. But the #9 is particularly bad.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 9, 2013 at 3:51am

Street view should have Ashland on it.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 9, 2013 at 4:06am

Maybe you should buy a bakfiets? :-)

The Gadget said:

Haha, guilty. Hey man, when I make grocery runs I LOAD UP. 

Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 9, 2013 at 4:13am

That is maybe part of the problem here. People make their personal behavior the norm, and if the proposed solution does not fit their personal behavior, then the solution is not worth it. Period.

(Note: It's not just drivers. Bicyclists do this as well. I guess it is human nature)

That's why the CTA should just build the BRT line. Once it is build, people will like it and start using it. That is what the experience in other cities shows.

The Gadget said:

I will say this, which is nothing more than anecdotal. I dont know anyone who would switch to the bus. When I'm driving on Ashland, it's either to run an errand like going to the Whole Foods, in which case I'm not taking the bus or I'm just using Ashland to go north/south but still need to go somewhere that's east/west of Ashland. But I understand why people want this, the #9 bus is TORTURE. Hell, most Chicago buses suck. But the #9 is particularly bad. 


Duppie 13.5185km said:

The CTA analysis assumes a 46% increase in modeshare from 18% to 26%. Some of that may attrition from other lines (shifting from the #50 Damen bus to the Ashland BRT), but a lot of that may be new bus riders (i.e. shifting from another modeshare to BRT)

Jeff Schneider said:

As for how many drivers will switch to taking the bus, I wouldn't have a clue.  But for people who already use buses or the El this could be a much nicer experience.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on August 9, 2013 at 4:36am

I like my Quik-Pak trailer when loading up: http://www.quik-pak.com/. I've had no car for 20 years in this city (although I'm only buying for myself).

I'm curious to see how the BRT works out, but it won't make any difference in how I get around, unless it makes Ashland better for biking.


The Gadget said:

Those things are battleships! I dont even think it would fit in my garage. Sorry, I think for Whole Foods and Binny's runs I'll stick to the car.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 9, 2013 at 6:38am

This one-time non-American is still amazed at the quality of public transit in Chicago after living here for 17 years.

It's dense (i.e a transit stop is never far away), it's frequent (at least the lines and times i use), and it is cheap ($2.25, no matter how far you go.)

None of these things where true when I grew up in the Netherlands.

Friends and family that visited me over the years invariably had similar thoughts.

Daniel G said:

The thing about our transit system that they're marveling at in particular, is that we have even have one. And not a ridiculous fake gesture towards a transit 'system' like in Atlanta or wherethehellever. But non-Americans are rarely impressed with it, which is the standard we should be setting our eyes towards since we have the privilege of living in a real city in a serious state, unlike the majority of Americans. Buses need to be pleasant or fast, for anyone to want to ride one more than a mile. Right now they are neither. BRT will help one of these, at least. I think the popularity of the Lake Shore buses bodes well for brt in Chicago and I welcome the change. But I usually choose to ride when it's safe to, bus when it's not.

h' 1.0 said:


People from other cities pretty consistently marvel at how good our transit system in Chicago is, and how they wish their city had something approaching it. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on August 9, 2013 at 7:28am

I've lived in several other U.S. cities of various sizes (smaller than Chicago) and found that, although we have our frustrations with transit here, it works better and covers more hours of the day/week than most other transit systems out.  Duppie's point is well taken.

However, the quality of the experience varies quite a bit depending on where you live in the city.  Service on many parts of the south and west sides does not compare to what one experiences in/near the Loop or north side lakefront neighborhoods.

Permalink Reply by Jeff K on August 9, 2013 at 8:03am

From this discussion I'm feeling more positive about BRT.

If it runs almost like the L without the expense of tracks and with more flexibility in routing, I can see it succeeding.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 9, 2013 at 8:33am

Good point. Transit is definitely better if you are east of approx. Western and north of Roosevelt-ish.

Anne Alt said:

I've lived in several other U.S. cities of various sizes (smaller than Chicago) and found that, although we have our frustrations with transit here, it works better and covers more hours of the day/week than most other transit systems out.  Duppie's point is well taken.

However, the quality of the experience varies quite a bit depending on where you live in the city.  Service on many parts of the south and west sides does not compare to what one experiences in/near the Loop or north side lakefront neighborhoods.

Permalink Reply by Kara B on December 10, 2013 at 7:59am

There is a public comment period for the BRT open until December 20. details on how to comment - and the two public meetings - are here. 

in general, i love that the idea is getting a chance, but I have two bike-related concerns - 

1. car traffic will get displaced from Ashland (which is not very bike friendly, so a good place for cars to stay) to the more bike-friendly arterials (I'm thinking Loomis, on the southside), thereby making our bike commutes less pleasant. and

2. I wonder if there are missed opportunities to engineer the BRT lanes so they can be shared by bikes - or if the redesign could incorporate bikes elsewhere (in the lanes currently allocated for planters?)

Maybe i'm asking too much? just seems like the City could do more with id'ing "bike+bus" lanes (eb washington at the metra oglive station, i'm looking at you...)

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 10, 2013 at 8:34am

I've given up on making Ashland more bike friendly. I feel like BRT is already asking for a lot and adding bike lanes will just give opponents more to complain about. I'd rather see nearby protected lanes on already bike-friendlyish streets, like Damen or Racine.

Kara B said:

There is a public comment period for the BRT open until December 20. details on how to comment - and the two public meetings - are here. 

in general, i love that the idea is getting a chance, but I have two bike-related concerns - 

1. car traffic will get displaced from Ashland (which is not very bike friendly, so a good place for cars to stay) to the more bike-friendly arterials (I'm thinking Loomis, on the southside), thereby making our bike commutes less pleasant. and

2. I wonder if there are missed opportunities to engineer the BRT lanes so they can be shared by bikes - or if the redesign could incorporate bikes elsewhere (in the lanes currently allocated for planters?)

Maybe i'm asking too much? just seems like the City could do more with id'ing "bike+bus" lanes (eb washington at the metra oglive station, i'm looking at you...)

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