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Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Transit
Cleveland Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - News & Updates
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Pablo
Crestview Addition
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Here's an update:
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COTA studying speedy bus route
By Robert Vitale
The Columbus Dispatch
Sunday January 8, 2012 5:49 AMThe Central Ohio Transit Authority will hit the road next month to begin gathering ideas for public-transportation improvements between Downtown, the Northeast Side and beyond. A new service that’s quicker than a local-route bus but makes more stops than an express route remains the most-likely option. It’s called “bus rapid transit,” and it’s rapidly gaining favor nationwide and already has been implemented in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Boston, Kansas City, Mo., and other cities.
READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/08/cota-studying-speedy-bus-route.html
Posted 4 months ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Love this vid from Street Films on BRT. Hopefully gets it right and we can see further expansion of a BRT system in CMH.
Posted 4 months ago # -
bjones7
Worthington Ohio
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More BRTs in Columbus would not be a bad idea in the future. Let COTA and the tax payers see how the Cleveland Ave BRT does first. I believe a BRT on Broad St should be looked into next, especially with the new Casino. I hope COTA will be smart about the design of the BRT system , for I believe this is what Columbus needs. Oh and maybe Columbus could use some LIMITED service bus lines as well? (for the #2). Limited bus services are cheap to start up and can be implemented along current bus routes.
Posted 4 months ago # -
columbusmike
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A BRT system makes a lot of sense for Columbus for now. I'd like to see a downtown BRT route go out to the airport for our incoming guests.
I'm surprised a High Street route isn't being considered. Are they still holding out for a streetcar?
Posted 4 months ago # -
Pickerington_Kyle
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I'd like to see BRT, and a light rail. If we don't do the street car, I'd still be happy with BRT.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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columbusmike said:
A BRT system makes a lot of sense for Columbus for now. I'd like to see a downtown BRT route go out to the airport for our incoming guests.Perhaps a Broad Street route could cut North at James Road and end at the Airport?
Otherwise, I'd think that a smaller shuttle bus (like the one that runs the #12) would make for a better Airport line that loops to Downtown hotels, Convention Center, OSU and back and forth to the airport.
columbusmike said:
I'm surprised a High Street route isn't being considered. Are they still holding out for a streetcar?I hope so. I also hope we'll find out more in February:
http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/state-of-the-city-2012
Posted 4 months ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Walker said:
Broad Street is definitely wide enough to accomodate a separate BRT lane. More-so than Cleveland Avenue. The #10 is a very busy route too. Would great to see BRT studied there next.I really hope whatever BRT system/line we end up with it does just this and isn't just a fancy bus route.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Polis
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columbusmike said:
I'm surprised a High Street route isn't being considered. Are they still holding out for a streetcar?"They"? As in the government as a whole? The streetcar is a city project, COTA has little say in the construction but said they would run operations. I wouldn't be surprised if this BRT is not even built at all, the city is yelling at COTA to remove buses from High St., COTA refused. How likely is it that the city will now give dedicated lanes to COTA?
Posted 4 months ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Polis said:
"They"? As in the government as a whole? The streetcar is a city project, COTA has little say in the construction but said they would run operations. I wouldn't be surprised if this BRT is not even built at all, the city is yelling at COTA to remove buses from High St., COTA refused. How likely is it that the city will now give dedicated lanes to COTA?I don't think BRT always requires dedicated lanes.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Polis
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It doesn't; I should have mentioned that signal priority, another vital component of a BRT, requires upgraded traffic signals and I think the city only plans on doing those north of Oakland Park. Meaning signal priotization is not possible without further significant investment in the intersections. Most of the intersections are controlled by the city, with the exception of some county ROW's, so how likely is it for the city to approve upgrading the intersections? I dunno, but I bet it will be a fight with the anti-transit on High St. folks.
Without any sort of dedicated lanes and only signal priority the speeds on the BRT would still be fairly low. Signal priority is great, but without a dedicated lane the bus is in mixed traffic and at the mercy of congestion. It would function more as a limited stop local service rather than the image invoked by BRT, at least to me. Curb-side boarding, no off-board fare collection, no dedicated lanes and possible limited signal priority do not sound very promising. Plus the sort of funding they are after, "Small Starts", doesn't leave much funding for restructuring the right of way.
What I'm getting at is the city better hop on board or it's going to be lack luster.
Posted 4 months ago # -
joshlapp
SoHud
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Polis said:
It doesn't; I should have mentioned that signal priority, another vital component of a BRT, requires upgraded traffic signals and I think the city only plans on doing those north of Oakland Park. Meaning signal priotization is not possible without further significant investment in the intersections. Most of the intersections are controlled by the city, with the exception of some county ROW's, so how likely is it for the city to approve upgrading the intersections? I dunno, but I bet it will be a fight with the anti-transit on High St. folks.Without any sort of dedicated lanes and only signal priority the speeds on the BRT would still be fairly low. Signal priority is great, but without a dedicated lane the bus is in mixed traffic and at the mercy of congestion. It would function more as a limited stop local service rather than the image invoked by BRT, at least to me. Curb-side boarding, no off-board fare collection, no dedicated lanes and possible limited signal priority do not sound very promising. Plus the sort of funding they are after, "Small Starts", doesn't leave much funding for restructuring the right of way.
What I'm getting at is the city better hop on board or it's going to be lack luster.
Its not just about the city either. Its also about the citizens. Have you taken the time to fill out the survey and voice your concerns? A big part of the reason that COTA chose not to move forward with the #1 realignment was because of so much negative feedback from riders and the input meetings.
Here is the link to the presentation and survey. It takes 5 minutes to fill out.
COTA survey
North Corridor Alternative Analysis public presentationPosted 4 months ago # -
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Polis said:I bet it will be a fight with the anti-transit on High St. folks.
The High Street issue was not one of anti-transit. It was a concern with moving transit from one street to another. I don't think bus relocation efforts will have a big negative impact on BRT plans in the way that you're making it sound. But I guess we'll see as the study progresses...
Posted 4 months ago # -
johnwirtz
Evanston, IL
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Walker said:
I don't think BRT always requires dedicated lanes.Right. I suspect the COTA system on Cleveland Ave will end up looking more like Kansas City's than like Cleveland's if it is built.
Posted 4 months ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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johnwirtz said:
Right. I suspect the COTA system on Cleveland Ave will end up looking more like Kansas City's than like Cleveland's if it is built.Uggh, if that's the model-no thanks. The Kansas City approach could certainly be applied to the entire COTA system but is it true BRT? Let's model Columbus after the recognizable world's best BRT and strive for that goal.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Cole
Hilltop
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lifeontwowheels said:
Uggh, if that's the model-no thanks. The Kansas City approach could certainly be applied to the entire COTA system but is it true BRT? Let's model Columbus after the recognizable world's best BRT and strive for that goal.I agree that we should strive for more, but as far as Cleveland Avenue where would the dedicated lanes go? It's only 4-lanes wide. The Cleveland Healthline BRT appears to be 7-lane road when the bus lane is dedicated with lanes which are marked as "Bus Only." Near the "headwaters" of the route, it's a 5-lane road.
I think the Kansas City approach is pretty good in that it has a bus only lane during peak traffic hours, at least according to John's link. But without a turn-only 5th lane, it would be difficult to dedicate lanes to buses during any time frame for Cleveland Avenue.
The real missed opportunity is not looking more at the #10 first with the broad street it's on. And yeah, that's a pun.
Posted 4 months ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Cole said:
I agree that we should strive for more, but as far as Cleveland Avenue where would the dedicated lanes go? It's only 4-lanes wide. The Cleveland Healthline BRT appears to be 7-lane road when the bus lane is dedicated with lanes which are marked as "Bus Only." Near the "headwaters" of the route, it's a 5-lane road.I think the Kansas City approach is pretty good in that it has a bus only lane during peak traffic hours, at least according to John's link. But without a turn-only 5th lane, it would be difficult to dedicate lanes to buses during any time frame for Cleveland Avenue.
The real missed opportunity is not looking more at the #10 first with the broad street it's on. And yeah, that's a pun.
I guess the question becomes how is Cleveland Ave. being used currently? Is it an urban highway drivers are using as an alternative to 71? If it is, then do we want that to continue or do we want to reclaim some of that space to promote a more balance transportation network?
I just fear this will be another missed opportunity. One where we will get something nice but which lacks any real function.
Posted 4 months ago #
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