CTA Bus Rapid Transit (take two)

[brownliner]

Protected bike lanes include a three foot buffer between the bike lane and parking lane. This protects cyclists from "dooring" incidents.

Hah. Hah. Hah. Door zone is five or six feet. Protected bike lanes with car parking next to them are a scheme to kill cyclists.

[See Tea Eh]

Hah. Hah. Hah. Door zone is five or six feet. Protected bike lanes with car parking next to them are a scheme to kill cyclists.

What vehicle do you know of with a five or six-foot door-opening radius?

[MetroShadow]

What vehicle do you know of with a five or six-foot door-opening radius?

DeLoreans, if that.

[Busjack]

DeLoreans, if that.

Lambos. However, the owners probably are not parking them on Washington in front of the Daley Center.

Still my point that if we get another big snowfall (and not necessarily of the Ground Hog Day 2011 one), nothing is going to move nor the lane restrictions enforced here for probably a couple of days. In fact, the bikers won't be "protected" if these streets are posted for snow restrictions, which they undoubtedly will be.

[geneking7320]

It looked like some of the pages might have been borrowed from the TTC [see page 32].

Is that a red streetcar in the picture? :o

[Busjack]

It looked like some of the pages might have been borrowed from the TTC [see page 32].

Is that a red streetcar in the picture?

You mean of the "Union Station Transit Center Original concept design?"

I see that now.

Obviously, it is some sort of architectural rendering, but besides that, those don't look like CTA buses (as compared to the Loyola station ones having RTSs that at least had a blue and red stripe).

Of course, the transit center doesn't look much different than the one in Harvey, one planned for Rochester NY, etc.

Good eye.

[brownliner]

<br />What vehicle do you know of with a five or six-foot door-opening radius?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Four foot wide door extensions are common. a bike is two feet or more wide. That puts the center of the bike five feet from edge of the car, at the minimum distance needed to avoid being hit by a four foot door. allow for people who can't bother to park at the curb, and that gets you six feet.

[ChicagoNova]

http://www.transitchicago.com/westernashlandbrt/ Read "June 2012 Public Open Houses".

[Busjack]

The new federal transportation bill, MAP-21* probably eliminates the fake BRT CTA is trying to foster. Hence, while CTA got the federal grant to study Western and Ashland, it probably won't get federal money to implement that there. A blog post(?) headlined Cliff's Notes on the Transit Changes in MAP-21 says as much, in saying that "Those are good definitions to prevent "BRT creep" – the cutting of corners that eventually ends up with a pretty standard bus service that doesn't perform the way BRT is supposed to."

The definition of BRT:

49 U.S.C. 5302:

(2) BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM- The term 'bus rapid transit system' means a bus transit system--

• '(A) in which the majority of each line operates in a separated right-of-way dedicated for public transportation use during peak periods; and
  
  '( B ) that includes features that emulate the services provided by rail fixed guideway public transportation systems, including--
  
  
  • '(i) defined stations;
    
    '(ii) traffic signal priority for public transportation vehicles;
    
    '(iii) short headway bidirectional services for a substantial part of weekdays and weekend days; and
    
    '(iv) any other features the Secretary may determine are necessary to produce high-quality public transportation services that emulate the services provided by rail fixed guideway public transportation systems.

Maybe they can justify it under section 5302(1) as "associated transit improvement":

(1) ASSOCIATED TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT- The term 'associated transit improvement' means, with respect to any project or an area to be served by a project, projects that are designed to enhance public transportation service or use and that are physically or functionally related to transit facilities. Eligible projects are--

• ...
  
  '( B ) bus shelters;
  
  '( C ) landscaping and streetscaping, including benches, trash receptacles, and street lights;
  
  '(D) pedestrian access and walkways;
  
  '(E) bicycle access, including bicycle storage facilities and installing equipment for transporting bicycles on public transportation vehicles;
  
  '(F) signage; or
  
  '(G) enhanced access for persons with disabilities to public transportation.

However, then one is essentially saying go back to the 2003 plan for X49 (i.e. Compobuses and street furniture).

____

*There were news reports that President Obama signed this with the student loan interest rate freeze, but, surprising, not much news coverage of it. Pace just mentioned it in the last Moving Forward.

[jajuan]

Well in prep for the Jeffery faux BRT, as of Monday until further notice per the CTA weekday service change alerts page the 14 will now stop at the even numbered stops instead of its normal odd numbered ones along Jeffery Blvd. This temporary change also applies to the 15 buses.

[CURRENTZ_09]

Well in prep for the Jeffery faux BRT, as of Monday until further notice per the CTA weekday service change alerts page the 14 will now stop at the even numbered stops instead of its normal odd numbered ones along Jeffery Blvd. This temporary change also applies to the 15 buses.

You know what, im going to test ride the 14 & 15 now and the BRT 14 & 15 in Late November Early December then compare the service levels between now and when the BRT service adjustments come along. From what im reading, the BRT crossovers and signal enhancements won't come until at least late January early February.

[jajuan]

You know what, im going to test ride the 14 & 15 now and the BRT 14 & 15 in Late November Early December then compare the service levels between now and when the BRT service adjustments come along. From what im reading, the BRT crossovers and signal enhancements won't come until at least late January early February.

Well keep in mind it's the 14 and not the 15 that's getting enhanced to "BRT". The 15 is just affected by this service change because it is the local route for Jeffery and shares those odd numbered stops that are seeing the upgrades that will result from this construction with the 14.

[Kevin]

Looks like CTA is starting to promote Jeffery's "Not Really BRT" BRT on Twitter:

[tweet https://twitter.com/cta/statuses/247815080455049216]

[mkohut]

Looks like CTA is starting to promote Jeffery's "Not Really BRT" BRT on Twitter:

[tweet https://twitter.com/cta/statuses/247815080455049216]

I have my doubts about it.Keep in mind they are suppose to follow the speed limit and they have no control over traffic on Lake Shore Drive.

[Kevin]

So I noticed some changes on what was called the Jeffrey BRT page under "Planning & Expansion." It's now called the "Jeffery Corridor Project" which will "test elements of BRT."

[Busjack]

I have my doubts about it.Keep in mind they are suppose to follow the speed limit and they have no control over traffic on Lake Shore Drive.

The original presentation only claimed time improvements south of 67th.

So I noticed some changes on what was called the Jeffrey BRT page under "Planning & Expansion." It's now called the "Jeffery Corridor Project" which will "test elements of BRT."

I'm sure due to the MAP-21 transportation bill saying that this kind of stuff was no longer BRT.

[jajuan]

I was wondering how they were going to get around that snafu since that new bill didn't stop them from continuing on with the construction meant to enhance the 14 from a regular express route in the classic definition of CTA express service to what was originally billed by them as BRT.

[See Tea Eh]

So I noticed some changes on what was called the Jeffrey BRT page under "Planning & Expansion." It's now called the "Jeffery Corridor Project" which will "test elements of BRT."

I also note that the bus in that picture looks to be all blue instead of white.

[Busjack]

I was wondering how they were going to get around that snafu since that new bill didn't stop them from continuing on with the construction meant to enhance the 14 from a regular express route in the classic definition of CTA express service to what was originally billed by them as BRT.

Grant under old bill, and while 5309, supposedly "liveability" instead of BRT. You'll note the previous discussion that the Madison/Washington one wasn't "circulator" either.

[CURRENTZ_09]

http://www.transitchicago.com/jump/default.aspx

The Jeffrey Jump BRT

Direct Link to Tweet

Edited September 18, 2012 by Kevin
Replaced uploaded photo with link to CTA's Twitter post.

[geneking7320]

the BRT Bus

I prefer that to the present CTA livery.

I can't tell if the gray "rocker panel" was retained though.

[Busjack]

So I noticed some changes on what was called the Jeffrey BRT page under "Planning & Expansion." It's now called the "Jeffery Corridor Project" which will "test elements of BRT."

http://www.transitch...mp/default.aspx

The Jeffrey Jump BRT

Since the sources are cited (and Kevin's link now says Jeffery Jump), I find it curious that the title and pictures changed in in a few hours.

Thus, I doubt that any of this is final.

Update: Since it just made the Tribune, maybe it is, but why the misleading post of the day before?

[jajuan]

The question now is if the buses will have these wraps on them for their use on what will be J14 Jeffery Jump, does this mean this will exclude their being used on the 6 Jackson Park Express since 103rd also has that route heavily covered by artics? And what of the 1000s that show up in the weekday offpeak on the current 14 Jeffery Express because the current route doesn't have as high a passenger load in those hours? The original Jeffery BRT presentation said the sum total of 103rd's artics would be revamped for the upcoming upgrade of the 14 for actual usage and as spares. If the artics there are getting retooled in prep for this service, how would that effect coverage of the 6 since if they hold true to retooling all of 103rd's artics it would mean blue buses would be seen on the 6.

[Sam92]

The question now is if the buses will have these wraps on them for their use on what will be J14 Jeffery Jump, does this mean this will exclude their being used on the 6 Jackson Park Express since 103rd also has that route heavily covered by artics? And what of the 1000s that show up in the weekday offpeak on the current 14 Jeffery Express because the current route doesn't have as high a passenger load in those hours? The original Jeffery BRT presentation said the sum total of 103rd's artics would be revamped for the upcoming upgrade of the 14 for actual usage and as spares. If the artics there are getting retooled in prep for this service, how would that effect coverage of the 6 since if they hold true to retooling all of 103rd's artics it would mean blue buses would be seen on the 6.

They would probably use them. Just the features wouldn't be used unless they were on the 14. Artics are also known to be on the 26 and recently have been on the X28 daily along with the 192 interline.

[CURRENTZ_09]

What does everyone think about the branding of the J14 & does anyone have any expectations about the new service?