Improving Regional Transit Opportunities
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a high-quality, high-capacity bus service that travels on exclusive lanes along designated routes. With pay-before-you-board stations, a boarding platform at the same level as the sidewalk, and the ability for the BRT bus to signal a green light at upcoming intersections, passengers would benefit from an enhanced transit service that complements the existing system. As part of our work to reduce traffic congestion and improve transportation options, MPC is helping to accelerate implementation of BRT proposals in both the suburbs and city, encouraging connections between BRT, job centers, and other destinations, and exploring financing options to cover the maintenance, operations and expansion of a regional BRT network.
Bus Rapid Transit Fact Sheet
Articles
Former MPC Board Chair John S. Gates Jr. will help keep Regional Transportation Authority on track-
- Congratulations to newly appointed Regional Transportation Authority Chairman John S. Gates, Jr., chairman and CEO of PortaeCoa, and longtime friend, former chair, and current member of the Metropolitan Planning Council's Board of Governors.
"John Gates' expertise in real estate development,…
Chicago Tribune poll confirms regional demand for transit-
- The Chicago Tribune released poll results this weekend showing suburbanites think transit investment is more important than money for roads. Among the key findings:
When asked whether improving or building expressways and tollways or improving and adding to mass transit should be a greater…
Minnesota battles traffic with congestion pricing-
- In 2005, nine miles of underutilized carpool lanes along Minnesota’s I-394 corridor were converted into toll lanes. Since then, the lanes have accommodated more than 940,000 vehicles every year, and 90 percent of users maintain a very high level of satisfaction. Passengers in the non-tolled…
Recent federal announcements may bode well for the region-
- “We don’t have enough direct bus transportation. Everything feels just a little bit out of the way,” complained a resident of Chicago’s Near West community. These sentiments were echoed by many others living in Chicago’s Near West, Near North, and Mid-South communities…
Frequently asked questions about Moving at the Speed of Congestion-
- MPC's 2008 report quantifies the cost of congestion to metropolitan Chicago.
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Multimedia
Bus Rapid Transit: Our Ticket to Livable Cities-
- Listen to this June 16, 2010, event featuring a panel discussion on:
An update on the future of bus rapid transit in Chicago.
How we can plan now for a more walkable, transit-friendly Chicagoland — including national and international models and local ingredients for success.
How the…
Dispatches from Berlin: What American Cities Can Learn from Berlin-
- Listen to this recording of MPC's Nov. 3, 2009, roundtable, which featured a panel discussion with three of the 10 transportation and regional planning professionals from New York, Chicago and San Francisco who attended a Peer Exchange in Berlin, Germany. The panelists discussed highlights from…
- Bus Rapid Transit in Curitiba, Brazil
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- Curitiba's Bus Rapid Transit system is the source of inspiration for many other cities. This video from Streetfilms illustrates how Curitiba's public transportation system operates and the urban planning and land use principles on which it is based.
Bus Rapid Transit in Bogota, Columbia-
- Watch this Streetsblog video to learn about Bogotá, Colombia's bus rapid transit system, TransMilenio, which travels almost three times the speed of the typical New York City bus.
Traffic Costs Chicago Area $7.3 Billion a Year-
- Video
- (1:52)
- September 4, 2009
- Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) Vice President of External Relations Peter Skosey discusses discusses MPC's recent report, "Moving at the Speed of Congestion," which quantifies the true cost of traffic to metropolitan Chicago. This video was recorded in August 2008, in conjunction with the…
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Collaborators
Funders
BNSF
Bombardier
The Chicago Community Trust
The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Union Pacific
