LA’s BRT Orange Line improved passenger travel times by 15-25 percent over existing express bus service.

Los Angeles: The Orange Line

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high-quality, high-capacity bus service that travels on exclusive lanes along designated routes.  Often compared with the speediness and comforts of a streetcar, BRT is not your typical bus.  While Chicago is formulating plans to implement the first phase of an extensive BRT network, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority has been managing and operating BRT lines in the city since 2005. 

BRT can add value to any transit system and has several benefits. For one, BRT service can quickly be implemented in a region, especially compared to fixed rail service.  Los Angeles took seven years to construct its Red Line subway system, but was able to add transit service with BRT in just two years.  Secondly, BRT is much cheaper to build and operate than heavy rail.  Compared to the $4.5 billion it took to construct LA’s 17.4-mile subway, the city spent $330 million to implement the Orange Line BRT.  Finally, BRT stations have similar characteristics to train stations, and developers often invest in areas around BRT stops.  Shops, housing, bike lanes, wide sidewalks, landscaping, and park-n-ride stations complement the BRT stations along the routes, helping to improve the overall community. 

Chicago’s recently announced plans to implement a reliable BRT network will increase the city’s ability to move people, goods and ideas throughout the region.  As the city frames this new transit service, it is important to continue to learn from best practices and experiences throughout the world.

Photo Courtesy of Brandon Farley

For additional information:

• Metro Orange Line – Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Orange Line Interactive - Metro

News 

Local News

Traffic here ‘very bad’ – Chicago Sun-Times  “The worst bottleneck in the Chicago area is on the eastbound Eisenhower at Mannheim, according to the study by INRIX, a provider of real-time traffic information for GPS devices.” 

CTA’s Google trip planner leaves commuters on their own at the border – Chi-Town Daily News  “Because the Chicago Transit Authority joined with Google without involving the Regional Transit Authority or other transit agencies, Pace bus and Metra train data is absent from the new system.”  

Bus lines from east to west – Crain’s Chicago  “If Chicago wins the 2016 Olympics bid, public transportation could be expected to get a much-needed boost.” 

Mayor says CTA ‘super station’ plan lacks punch of technology – Chicago Tribune  “Speaking at an event in downtown on Saturday, Daley said the CTA’s current rail system is outdated compared with other cities’ public transportation systems, and that moving forward without updates would be a waste.” 

More commuters choose to pedal right past pumps – Chicago Tribune  “To judge by the packs of cyclists streaming down Milwaukee Avenue every morning, the overstuffed bike racks at suburban train stations and the cash registers of area bike shops, many in the Chicago area appear to be choosing life in the bike lane this summer.” 

Fuel hikes hit mass transit, too – Chicago Tribune  “The skyrocketing price of diesel fuel will cost Chicago’s transit agencies tens of millions of dollars more than anticipated this year, jeopardizing some proposed new services, officials said Friday.” 

Bike riders in bus lanes? – Chicago Sun-Times“Bicycles should be allowed to share bus lanes on Chicago’s widest streets to minimize sometimes deadly traffic conflicts and accommodate a cycling surge tied to skyrocketing gasoline prices, Mayor Daley said today.” 

World News

House approves more funds for thriving public transit – Los Angeles Times  “In an effort to make riding bus and rail lines even more appealing, the House on Thursday moved to provide $1.7 billion to help transit agencies pay higher fuel costs, limit fare hikes and expand service.”

 

Fuel Costs Pinch Cities; Mayors Push Mass Transit – New York Times “Higher fuel prices are forcing cities across the country to cut public services, limit driving by employees and expand public transportation in what has become a sprawling movement to conserve energy.” 

Abu Dhabi considers congestion charges – The National Newspaper  “The Abu Dhabi Government is considering eliminating fuel subsidies, introducing congestion charges and levying new fees on motorists as part of its efforts to solve the capital’s transport woes, according to documents posted on a new Department of Transport website.” 

Speeders to pay extra for police fuel – USA Today  “Drivers caught speeding in this north Atlanta suburb soon will have to pay an extra $12 – to cover $4-a-gallon gas costs for the police officers who stop them.” 

3 Days in August, City Will Try No-Car Zone – New York Times  “Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Monday that he will create a car-free zone on three Saturdays in August, along a 6.9-mile stretch of streets through Manhattan, from the Brooklyn Bridge, north to Park Avenue and the Upper East Side.” 

Suburbs a Mile Too Far for Some – Wall Street Journal  “Today, the subprime-mortgage crisis and $4-a-gallon are delivering further gut punches by blighting remote subdivisions nationwide and rendering long commutes untenable for middle-class Americans.” 

Resources

• Introductory Module: Smart Growth and Transportation – NYSDOT
• Driven to Excess: What under-priced curbside parking costs the Upper West Side – Transportation Alternatives

Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Michael McLaughlin, Director of Regional Policy and Transportation, at mmclaughlin@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6022.