Northwood News ♦ December 2008

Councilmember Elrich Proposes Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

By Jim Zepp

At-large County Councilmember Marc Elrich is currently floating a proposal among various agencies, public officials, and citizen groups to establish a bus rapid transit (BRT) network.  This would be a less-costly option for addressing the County’s growing transportation needs since it is likely that the state and local governments will not be able to afford more expensive alternatives such as new highways and rail-based transit systems for the foreseeable future.

A BRT system consists of specially configured buses that either can be used on dedicated guideways or travel like normal buses on regular roadways.  It is possible for these vehicles to collect or discharge passengers within neighborhood areas and then shift onto the BRT guideways built along major highways so they can operate at higher speeds.  Elrich’s plans would have BRTs operating on most of the major roadways in the County, including I-270, Georgia Avenue, and Route 29.

The concept of BRTs as an urban transportation alternative has been around for at least 30 years and there are examples in several cities around the world.  Locally, busway proposals have been considered for Route 29 for over 20 years.  Most recently, former County Executive Doug Duncan’s “Go Montgomery” transportation plan had included several busways.  The Route 29 busway would have extended from downtown Silver Spring to the Howard County line and was estimated to cost about $100 million.

About 10 years ago, a shorter version of the Route 29 busway from Burtonsville to the Sligo Creek Parkway was studied by the County.  This was estimated to cost about $40 million, require purchasing portions of land from about 50 residences fronting along the road, and would reduce the travel time for Upcounty commuters by 12 minutes.

In order for the busway to function at optimum speeds, these buses would also have the ability to override the sequencing of traffic lights at intersections so that they don’t have to stop.  Consequently, the busway feasibility study found that the level of congestion would actually increase at Four Corners.  The County planners response to this finding was that the intersection’s conditions were already so bad that worsening it wouldn’st make any difference (while costing taxpayers only $40 million).

The other concern raised by residents along the Route 29 corridor was that construction of a busway would eliminate the median strip, which provides some safety for pedestrians crossing the highway.  This is especially important because the traffic lights are programmed for a minimal length of time.  The transportation planners have stated that this is done to maximize vehicle speeds and volume along Route 29.  For this reason, the State Highway planners have resisted past requests by community residents for other measures that would provide better facilities for pedestrians.

When asked how his plans would differ from previous busway proposals, Councilmember Elrich has said that the BRT buses would be narrower than current buses and would not require use of the entire median, which would leave some room for pedestrians attempting to cross Route 29.  This may not be a sufficient width to provide for pedestrian and transit rider safety and comfortable separation from traffic.  As a frequent mass transit user, I can attest to the conditions that one can be subjected to while standing along Route 29.  Vehicles can be whipping by at high speeds which throw dust in your face during dry weather and splashes water or slush at you when it is raining or snowing.

Councilmember Elrich also believes that, despite the objections of the transportation planners, the timing of the Route 29 traffic lights would be changed to better accommodate pedestrian safety so this would not be a problem in the future.

In the past, the communities along Route 29 have united to oppose previous busway proposals because of their adverse impacts on area residents, while primarily benefitting Upcounty and Howard County commuters.  This proposal may continue to evolve and would affect most of the County, so it has a long way to go before anything is definite.  We will let residents know if this proposal progresses further.   ■