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BUS RAPID TRANSIT WINS VOTE OF APPROVAL FROM OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
4.20.10
BUS RAPID TRANSIT WINS VOTE OF APPROVAL FROM OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
High speed bus proposal wins second approval in a week
A week after the Public Works Committee approved the idea, the Oakland City Council tonight voted to support AC Transit’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that would bring high speed bus service to the area.
“This has been a very exciting week for Bus Rapid Transit, our proposal to speed up travel times, stimulate local businesses and help the environment by reducing emissions,” said Jim Cunradi, BRT project manager. “Our local leaders in Oakland have really come out to support BRT, and the project is now a huge step closer to soon becoming a reality.”
The Oakland portion of the BRT route would be the longest and most highly-traveled of the 17-mile stretch from San Leandro, through Oakland and ending in Berkeley.
“Tonight’s vote at the Oakland City Council meeting shows that AC Transit has effectively listened to the community and come up with a plan that really works for Oakland,” said Clarence Johnson, spokesman for AC Transit. “Oakland’s community leaders understand that BRT is good for local traffic concerns, businesses and the environment.”
BRT could be up and running as soon as 2013, and fully implemented in 2015.
About Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
AC Transit’s vision is to provide a truly world-class transit service that is convenient, reliable and safe; one that increases mobility, enhances the quality of life and improves the health of the environment throughout the communities it serves. Bus Rapid Transit would be a high-capacity rapid transit system that reduces travel times. With dedicated lanes and signal priority, and prominent stations with convenient boarding of buses, BRT would offer residents a viable alternative to congested city streets. It would reduce traffic congestion, significantly cutting emissions and pollutants. Bus Rapid Transit is essentially light rail without the tracks. It combines the speed and capacity of light rail with the convenience and affordability of riding the bus. It can be planned and built at much less expense, and more quickly, than traditional light rail systems.
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