lifeontwowheels said:
Isn't that one of the 3 keys to being BRT?
I agree that it's important, but it's not required to get FTA funding.
For "Small Starts" funding (less than $250 million project), it needs to:
1. Be a fixed guideway for at least 50% of the project length in the peak period –AND/OR-
2. Be a corridor-based bus project with the following minimum elements:
-Substantial Transit Stations
-Signal Priority/Pre-emption (for Bus/LRT)
-Low Floor / Level Boarding Vehicles
-Special Branding of Service
-Frequent Service - 10 min peak/15 min off peak
-Service offered at least 14 hours per day
For Very Small Starts funding, a project must contain the following features:
-Transit Stations
-Signal Priority/Pre-emption (for Bus/LRT)
-Low Floor / Level Boarding Vehicles
-Special Branding of Service
-Frequent Service - 10 min peak/15 min off peak
-Service offered at least 14 hours per day
-Existing corridor ridership exceeding 3,000/day
-Less then $50 million total cost
-Less then $3 million per mile (excluding vehicles)
See Fact Sheet links at the bottom of this page:
http://www.fta.dot.gov/12304_222.html