Newspaper Article

QUALITY RAPID TRANSIT IS KEY

Harrell, William, Mason, Del Monty

2014

Overview

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx was in Richmond recently to make a major announcement. The city of Richmond and Henrico County have been awarded a $24.9 million grant toward design and construction of a bus rapid transit line. The project is being hailed as a \"game changer\" and could be operational by late 2018. These rapid transit buses will run along a 7.6-mile route with 14 stations, with a projected 65 percent improvement in bus travel times compared to regular bus route service. The funding for this project was made possible through the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, program, which provides funding nationwide to help meet the overwhelming need for infrastructure investment. We congratulate the Richmond-area leaders on their success; they are taking important next steps toward improving transportation options. Bus rapid transit, by definition, features dedicated lanes for buses, signal priority, high-quality transit stops and frequent rapid service to connect major employment and activity centers. In addition to improving transportation options for our residents and visitors, the economic development potential of bus rapid transit is enormous. A recent Forbes article highlighted the success of the HealthLine bus rapid transit system in Cleveland. Since opening in 2008, more than $5.8 billion in economic development has occurred, equating to more than $114 of return for each transit dollar invested.

• Publisher: Tribune Publishing Company, LLC