BUS RAPID TRANSIT A Canadian Perspective
Why choose BRT? Because it is a practical and cost effective rapid transit solution for the most common types of land use in urban Canada
Operating experience shows that BRT is appropriate because It can serve low density land uses while at the same time encouraging nodal development It offers a region wide high quality cost effective service at an early stage but with infrastructure that can be staged to keep pace with development It delivers social benefits by reducing the number of car based trips and by increasing mobility
There are several existing and planned BRT systems in Canada Ottawa was the first and is still the largest BRT system
There are several existing and planned BRT systems in Canada There are also operating BRT systems in Quebec City, Montréal, York and Vancouver
There are several existing and planned BRT systems in Canada and several more systems in various stages of planning
This presentation will feature the BRT systems in Ottawa, Vancouver and the planned system in Toronto Vancouver Ottawa Toronto
The Ottawa Process Began with a 1974 Official Plan based on a transit first philosophy Followed by planning studies in the late 1970s that recommend a BRT solution First permanent busway sections opened in 1983 Now comprises a 60km system with 32 stations and a variety of different types of running way serving a population of 735,000
The planning was based on an integrated land use and transportation approach It used transit mode share targets to define an overall strategy and service plan 11 40 14 45 52 70 2 40 24 30 2 30 LEGEND : 1971 POLICY 24 30
The 60km system comprises a range of different running ways
The service on these running ways combines line haul service just like LRT Line haul routes Feeder routes P&R P&R P&R with routes that reduce the need to transfer P&R
Supplemented with real time service control and public information.
The service effectiveness of this operating strategy is demonstrated by the mode share outcomes in Ottawa... 11 27 32 40 41 39 14 45 75 70 52 70 2 40 26 40 2433 35 30 2 32 23 30 and an annual patronage of 120 linked trips per capita and a daily busway patronage of 200,000 LEGEND : 35 33 24 30 1971 1981 1991 POLICY
Low density suburbs are quite compatible with BRT
But by combining the BRT service plan with stations.
the results were also new mixed use nodal development in older neighborhoods New mixed Use Development Residential Government Office Complex ) BRT Station Busway
new shopping centres and business parks in new suburbs. Shopping Center Business Park Station Busway Ped Overpass Business Park Ped Link
shopping mall intensification in older suburbs.. 1960s suburban mall BRT Arrives Initial New Development The Mall Today
air rights development over BRT.. Station Hospital Busway
Apartments & Townhouses School Stations Apartments..and linear corridor intensification Hospital Busway
The Ottawa approached also demonstrated that BRT infrastructure costs can be deferred without delaying service introduction because The BRT vehicle can run in its own guideway or on-street
This means.. a region-wide BRT service plan was implement initially using low cost infrastructure as the running ways and stations....and transitioned over time to a fully exclusive busway and major stations
This meant that BRT implementation could keep pace with development growth Stage 1 Arterial Bus Lanes Mixed Flow Busway Freeway Shoulder Lanes
This meant that BRT implementation could keep pace with development growth Stage 2 Arterial Bus Lanes Mixed Flow Busway Freeway Shoulder Lanes
This meant that BRT implementation could keep pace with development growth Stage 3 Arterial Bus Lanes Mixed Flow Busway Freeway Shoulder Lanes
This meant that BRT implementation could keep pace with development growth Stage 4 Arterial Bus Lanes Mixed Flow Busway Freeway Shoulder Lanes
The infrastructure cost of the 60km system was $460 million Arterial Bus Lanes Mixed Flow Busway Freeway Shoulder Lanes
This rapid transit system cost less to build and operate as BRT than as LRT Ottawa BRT Grade Separated $12.3 to $26.0m/km Freeway Shoulder $2.6m/km North American LRT (average costs) At grade construction $16.5m/km Grade separated construction $40 m/km Pittsburgh BRT and LRT Per operating passenger costs 40% less for BRT
In Vancouver BRT is a permanent corridor mode and a precursor for rail and there are three corridors in operation providing 40 km of service BRT B-Line ICTS Skytrain Future ICTS
The primary service is the 98B from Vancouver to Richmond Seymour It is a 16km line-haul in-street service with sections of: and median busway Curb bus lanes
The Service Design High frequency All day service Limited stops Simple route
The BRT infrastructure includes: Unique Shelters Median Busway Bus Lanes
Other priority measures include: Signal pre-emption Queue jumpers Traffic signal priority Transponder Roadside Receivers Traffic Signal Controller Interface
Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) Monitors position using GPS Real time station displays show arrival times Linked to schedule adherence for real time traffic signal priority
Vehicles Distinctive, visible Easy to board/ alight High capacity
Costs and Benefits Capital Costs - $52 million Vehicles - $18.0 million Infrastructure $29.2 million Service Management System $4.6 million Benefits Annual net benefit of $2.9 million 23% mode shift from the car Patronage increase of 1.2 million riders per year
In Toronto BRT will complement a multi-modal network Arterial BRT Toronto High speed BRT Commuter Rail Subway
At build out 76% of the 100 km BRT Spine Line will be grade separated Busway
.6% will be at grade arterial busway either guided or unguided
and 15% will be some form of bus lane leaving only about 4% of the line as mixed flow operations
Direct bus only ramps linking the busway with the intersecting 400 series highways used by transit are proposed
There will be 45 stations of various configurations and 5000 park and ride spaces
In addition to the terminal stations at Oakville and Pickering, three of the stations will at existing GO Rail stations with opportunities for four more BRT/Rail interchanges as new GO services are implemented
By 2011 this 100 km system could be carrying as many as 200,000 riders per day A fully functional 100 km Spine Line and TTC Connecting Link system can be completed for $965 million including $120 million for additional buses. At its peak load point, the BRT will carry as many people as a six lane highway
This Canadian experience shows that BRT can.serve suburban land uses effectively.be a catalyst for land use intensification.be staged to keep pace with development.be built and operated at less cost than rail.attract former car drivers and improve accessibility
But in the end just.. Give BRT a chance Thank you