What will make the transit service rapid?

Low-floor vehicles and raised curbs at the stations will allow for faster boarding. Ticket vending machines will allow passengers to purchase tickets before boarding the vehicles. Station pop-outs will save time by allowing the bus to merge more easily into the travel lane after boarding passengers. Transit signal priority will allow buses to move through the signals a bit faster.

What will be the travel time?

Approximately 38 minutes from end to end.

What will the fares be?

Fares will be the same as for other local bus routes in the system.

What vehicles will be used?

New, articulated vehicles will be purchased and branded with a special paint scheme.

When will this happen?

We are planning to begin construction in 2010 and operate the route starting in 2011.

How long will it take to build each station?

The first phase of construction will involve demolition and the relocation/disposition of utilities, which will take about three weeks. Pedestrian access will be available during this time. The second phase of construction will be the installation of any new utilities (such as electrical connections for the station signage and lighting and for the ticket vending machines), which will take about a week. The third phase of construction involves pouring new concrete and takes about two weeks to set up and a day to pour. Concrete pours may be phased to provide continuous access to businesses. The fourth and final phase of construction involves assembling shelters and installing ancillary equipment such as bike racks and trash cans. This will take approximately two weeks. There may be delays between phases as equipment is being procured. We will work with adjacent property owners to minimize disruption.

Can rapid bus stations be shared with local bus stops?

We are trying to avoid sharing of stations so that the rapid buses can move more quickly through the corridor. However, in some locations, local buses may share rapid bus stations.

Is it possible to move the route to Florida Street?

No, bus routes need to stay on high volume, non-residential streets.