expanded service on I-55, I355

[west towns]

any news on the expanded services on I-55 and I-355 using the RTA ICE funding? this was approved by RTA last year.

[Busjack]

Since you mention it, it is in today's Tribune.

[geneking7320]

Since I first heard of this concept I've wondered if the bus would be hindered by disabled vehicles and other obstacles on the shoulder. Time will tell...

[Busjack]

Since I first heard of this concept I've wondered if the bus would be hindered by disabled vehicles and other obstacles on the shoulder. Time will tell...

The responders in the Topix forum were quite adamant regard that point.

[MetroShadow]

The responders in the Topix forum were quite adamant regard that point.

I've read that forum and the ignorance is delightful. On the other hand, maybe its because they know nothing of the project, and first impressions are going to be negative.

MNDot's Presentation from the RTA website This link was provided by the good folks of the Minnesota Dept of Transportation, in which they have mastered the BOS project well.

[Busjack]

I've read that forum and the ignorance is delightful. On the other hand, maybe its because they know nothing of the project, and first impressions are going to be negative.

RTA Presentation This link was provided by the RTA in conjunction with the good folks of the Minnesota Dept of Transportation, in which they have mastered this project well.

At first, I didn't comprehend the context of the link you provided. Apparently it was the MN people saying it worked there, to convince the RTA to try it here. There wasn't anything on the I-55 plan itself.

While I have noted that an I-55 BRT was mandated in the 2008 RTA tax increase legislation, it appears, from the Tribune article and what other posters who apparently have more information indicate, that it involves something other than just putting the existing 855 bus on the shoulder and extending it to Plainfield. It isn't clear whether it supplants the existing 855 (and hence explains why it does not appear that that contract was awarded).

Rereading the Tribune article, I also wonder about a new service that would theoretically end at the Ashland Orange Line station, instead of in the Loop (as the current 855). But, in view of the discussion about 355, if the idea is to avoid overlap, the Pulaski station would seem to make more sense (unless there is too much local traffic between the Stevenson Expwy and Pulaski and Archer).

[MVTArider]

Since I first heard of this concept I've wondered if the bus would be hindered by disabled vehicles and other obstacles on the shoulder. Time will tell...

Thats where you tell the good bus drivers from the ones who truly have "the skill" I was riding on my route home from the MOA awhile back and since there was construction up ahead there was a huge backup. Luckily the bus was being driven by someone with "the skill" and we went right down the right shoulder and when there were signs about "keep right" in the way we went right between them and traffic with about 6 inches to spare. When the signs on the enterance ramps say "Watch for Buses on Shoulder" they mean it. Granted in your case it will be the left shoulder but I haven't heard of nor seen any problems with the left shoulder bus/carpool lanes around here.

[twyztdmynd]

NBC just had a blurb about running Pace busses on I-55 on the median lanes. Placement is due by end of the year. Busses are to travel at posted speeds. Lnk... http://www.nbcchicago.com/traffic_autos/tr...ge-of-Pace.html

[west towns]

).

Rereading the Tribune article, I also wonder about a new service that would theoretically end at the Ashland Orange Line station, instead of in the Loop (as the current 855). But, in view of the discussion about 355, if the idea is to avoid overlap, the Pulaski station would seem to make more sense (unless there is too much local traffic between the Stevenson Expwy and Pulaski and Archer).

from the RTA website on the ICE program, it appears the stop at Ashland is to serve the medical center area while the current 855 will continue downtown. So it appears there will be two routes in this corridor.

The shoulder lanes seems to be a 1st step towards development of a BRT, similar to what Minneapolis is doing with their I-35 corridor. This corridor has shoulder riding and now they are going with BRT stations and a dedicated lanes for the BRT

[west towns]

Since I first heard of this concept I've wondered if the bus would be hindered by disabled vehicles and other obstacles on the shoulder. Time will tell...

go to MNDOT's website or the RTA website, they have complete information on MSP shoulder program. Basically they have almost 300 miles of shoulder lanes and issues such as broken down cars, emergency vehicles, snow removal, garbage on the roadway, signage, police enforcement, bus driver training, marketing, etc etc etc have all been handled, no big deal for them.

and this is after over 15 years of operations.

Shoulder operations also occur in Miami, Columbus, San Diego, Seattle, Altanta,Toronto to name a few.

[trainman8119]

On the other hand, maybe its because they know nothing of the project, and first impressions are going to be negative.

I guess I am guilty, because I am not crazy about the whole BRT in any way shape or form.

Firstly, in this case, why do so many people think that these people would abandon

their cars in the first place. If they were going to do that, they would have found a train station

to get to. Secondly, really, how many people are going from Plainfield to Chicago ???? Enough

to justify bus service ?? Hmmmm. Next, if, and I say if, I am going to go all that way to get downtown, pay a premium fare, the last thing I am going to want to do is to ride the Orange or Red Line the balance of the way downtown, or Medical Center. It is liable to take just as long to finish the trip that way as the initial part of the trip....with an added fare, since there is no transferring !!!!! And last, with minimal schedules, it further reduces the incentive to come and go as I please, often noted as a reason why many drivers don't take trains....and that is with hourly service !!!!! With all the construction projects that come up in this area, how long will it be before buses are in the thick of traffic anyway.

This may all work, but I am very skeptical.

[artthouwill]

go to MNDOT's website or the RTA website, they have complete information on MSP shoulder program. Basically they have almost 300 miles of shoulder lanes and issues such as broken down cars, emergency vehicles, snow removal, garbage on the roadway, signage, police enforcement, bus driver training, marketing, etc etc etc have all been handled, no big deal for them.

and this is after over 15 years of operations.

Shoulder operations also occur in Miami, Columbus, San Diego, Seattle, Altanta,Toronto to name a few.

I spent some time in the Twin Cities and the shoulder riding and HOV lanes that the buses used were pretty impressive to me and I've wondered why something hadn't been implemented here to that effect. But even in the Twin Cities, it amazed me how traffic would be packed on I-35W or I-94 and how empty the buses would be. Not literally empty, but definitely not full.

Every morning driving east on I-35W from Burnsville to Minneapolis, there was always a trooper pulling a car over for a single person driving in the HOV lane. I won't even discuss the madness where I-35W and the Crosstown merge. Between there and downtown, the buses would be on the shoulder driving about 30 -35 mph, while the rest of us were creeping at 15 -20. They would have their hazards on while on the shoulder.BTW, the stop at Lake St on the expy was really cool.

[Guest]

I think the idea of giving priority to PACE Commuter trips particularly the #855 is certainly a step in the right direction. The only issue is that of the County Line Rd. stop the route #855 makes. How would the new express service proposed affect the additional stop this route makes?. I am picturing the buses in running in the median of I-55, so to exit County Line Rd. would pose a problem.

[Busjack]

Moved to the more appropriate thread:

I think it makes the most sense to build an additional LEFT lane (wish they had done this when the Stevenson was rebuilt a few years back), the obvious problem being once in the left lane, bus should stay there.

They said that when I55 was rebuilt, the left shoulder was wide enough to accommodate the bus. 5750 previously asked if that was the case, how was the bus supposed to get over to the exit to serve the County Line Rd. Park and Ride.

It is clear from the premise of this project that no additional expressway construction was to be involved. See Section 2.09 subec. b of the RTA Act and the NBC story cited by twy.

[west towns]

Moved to the more appropriate thread:

They said that when I55 was rebuilt, the left shoulder was wide enough to accommodate the bus. 5750 previously asked if that was the case, how was the bus supposed to get over to the exit to serve the County Line Rd. Park and Ride.

It is clear from the premise of this project that no additional expressway construction was to be involved. See Section 2.09 subec. b of the RTA Act and the NBC story cited by twy.

simple, the left "hov' shoulder is east of 294 thus the burr ridge stop is not impacted. I would expect service between plainfield and burr ridge to use the right hand shouder then switch after 294