WRCOG Bus Rapid Transit Plan

This report provided a conceptual analysis of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services for potential corridors within Western Riverside.

This evaluation also focused on conceptual station area planning for six different station prototypes.

Goals

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Identify corridors in the WRCOG area of jurisdiction that would be suitable for BRT service
• Determine the priority for BRT projects to be developed following implementation of the previously studied Magnolia Corridor BRT project

BRT is an emerging approach, particularly in Southern California, to developing cost-effective high quality, high speed transit service in urban areas. BRT can operate on arterial streets, freeways, and exclusive guideways. Key elements include increased operating speed, improved stations with shelters and other amenities, and luxury vehicles. Transit priority measures are frequently provided to enable buses to travel more quickly through congested segments of their routes.  Five corridors have been selected as potential priority routes, based on a series of screening criteria.

Results

• Recommended BRT corridors and Express Bus corridors
• Literature review of key factors affecting the success of BRT routes:
  • Density and intensity is the primary determinant of transit ridership
  • Frequency of service and speed are next to density in determining ridership
  • Permanence of the system is important to developers
  • Need to overcome bus stigmatization
  • Need to provide safe and quality pedestrian access
• Conceptual land use plans and conceptual site plans
• Station design prototypes included:
  
  • multimodal station
    
  • major bus transfer station
    
  • in-line station
    
  • end-of-line station
    
  • village center park-and-ride station
    
  • walk-up station