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Transit Updates for Greater Grand Rapids


GRDadof3

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Ok, so is BRT for sure what is going to be built, instead of light rail?

From the latest I've read, BRT on the S. Division corridor, and light rail/streetcar downtown. They still have to apply for federal funds for the BRT, but they are very confident they will meet the requirements for Very Small Starts (under $33 Million). The light rail/streetcar is proposed to be mostly locally funded (public/private). I think someone mentioned they are looking at 2.4 miles. They call it "streetcar" but it will be the modern Euro versions like Bombardier or Skoda, like Portland's. Buried rails, overhead wires...

title-portlandsc.jpg

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At 3 million dollars a mile stated by the article, the S.Division line would cost 27 miilion dollars. Throw in other things like the parking for the park and ride aspect and the vehicles, the costs I'm guessing would be 40 million dollars. That's not very much money compared to the cost of M-6 and other highway projects. This just tell's me if authorities invested atleast some of the money into mass transit options instead of adding more and more lanes to our car sewers, GR would have the would's best mass transit system for a city our size. I hope the RAPID goes through with a BRT, LRT, or other wise and I hope its so successful that it marks the begining of far more to come.

Here's the best article recently about the RAPID's plans (BRT down S. Division and streetcar/light rail loop downtown)

http://www.mlive.com/news/advancenewspaper...&thispage=1

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So they are looking at a "tram" system, as they call them in Europe. Well, i think that would be awesome.

^ what do you mean Rizzo?

He's referring to the fact that I sent him a link today stating that Very Small Starts funding cannot be used for a fixed guideway or dedicated bus lane.

The streetcar will be pretty cool, IF it is implemented properly (for transit vs. as a gimmicky tourist ride).

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Oh. I agree, it must be transit, not a vintage tourist trolley. So Federal Funding wont cover BRT?

No, it will, but under the Very Small Starts program (under $50 Million according to the FTA), the BRT cannot have a fixed guideway, or if it's a rail project, no new trackage can be built. It's much easier to get funding under this program because the requirements are less, like ridership estimates. If a new track is built, or a fixed "guideway", or a dedicated bus lane. In order to get federal funds, you then have a new level of requirements to meet.

Very Small Starts - lower ridership estimates, less funding (under $50M), easier to get

Small Starts - medium ridership estimates, more funding ($75 - $250M), harder to get

New Starts - high ridership estimates, a lot more funding (over $250M), extremely difficult to get

Very Small Starts must have, however:

- "Substantial" boarding stations

- Traffic signal priority

- Low floor vehicles or level boarding

- 10 minute peak/15 minute off-peak intervals

- 3000 riders per weekday

Otherwise, it's just a bus line. :D

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:duzqw...t=clnk&cd=5

NO VINTAGE TROLLEY

366611717_259c2a78ab.jpg

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:lol:

A shinny new bus, ticket vending machines, raised platforms, and signal changer. That's probably why this route is only 2-3 years away and finished in 18 months. It's because there isn't much to it.

Edited by Rizzo
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ok, so then how will GR be able to build a BRT line? Try to work out a deal?

Deal, with the feds you mean? They will go through the usual application process, using the $14.4 Million that has already been set aside by the feds to do a study and submit to the FTA. If they qualify (which it sounds like they're pretty confident they can for Very Small Starts), than the feds will fund 80% of the estimated $33 Million. The GR "area" will have to fund the other 20%, since it passes through 3 different cities (Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming). The Interurban Transit Partnership working on this already has GR and 5 other cities on its board. That's how I understand how it will all go down, hopefully by June or July 07.

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ok, so then how will GR be able to build a BRT line? Try to work out a deal?

With these recent developments, I don't think this will be a bonified BRT route. With the requirements of not having a fixed guide way this isn't separated from traffic and there by at a disadvantage. I could be wrong, but a part of making it a BRT route would have it mostly separated from mixed traffic.

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With these recent developments, I don't think this will be a bonified BRT route. With the requirements of not having a fixed guide way this isn't separated from traffic and there by at a disadvantage. I could be wrong, but a part of making it a BRT route would have it mostly separated from mixed traffic.

I think the Feds mean by dedicated lane being a lane that is curbed off from the rest of the street or where "no" traffic can be in the lane except the BRT busses at any time. The rumor I heard, was there will be a dedicated BRT lane at certain times of day, but not 24 hours a day. I asked how this will be enforced and didn't get a clear answer other than tickets will be issued if you are caught in the BRT lane during the posted times.

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I'm not quite sure what their definition of dedicated lane or fixed guide way is.

I think the idea of turning a lane into a bus lane could work pretty well. I'm sure that it will be against the law to operate your vehicle in that lane during peak hours. I wonder if these bus lanes will have a distinctive look?

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I'm not quite sure what their definition of dedicated lane or fixed guide way is.

In terms of getting federal funding it means a lane that only the BRT can use. Sometimes these are very narrow but can be used because there is a special strip painted on the road where a BRT vehicle tracks it optically for steering.

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When I was in Madison, WI last year, I saw a bus lane on a main road in the suburb area. It was marked with a diamond in the middle of the lane and written underneath was "BUS"

There is a dedicated diamond bus lane on Michigan St right in front of Van Andel Arena, that I believe runs up to Barklay.

According to the Very Small Starts requirements Rizzo, it says there has to be a "branding" of the proposed service. I'm assuming they mean a separate brand from the standard transit that serves that area. I think it would be wise to give it a different name then just RAPID.

I kind of like the name TIGR (Transit Initiative Grand Rapids). Could be pronounced Tiger or Tigger. Maybe for the streetcar system?

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