This is a post about trains - but we’re going to take a detour into Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) first. 

Light rail and subways are expensive. Especially in the US where it can cost about 68% more to build these systems compared to Europe and Canada. For these high costs it matters that we have long stretches of city density that guarantees ridership, typically around 28-60 people per acre, and will make the large investments worth it. Density like that also opens up additional grant funding opportunities, so what’s the plan?

BRT Is a Springboard

Yep you knew we were going to detour into Bus Rapid Transit. We want to use BRT as the springboard for future rail. BRT is proven in many communities to increase density where it is developed due to the value it brings and the number of people who will use it. And we’re not just interested in that because it’s an immediate benefit. It’s a long-term gameplan. 

With BRT, Ohio’s cities can introduce true rapid transit that can help make our cities more densely populated so that rail development makes sense. We know that this will take time, and it is frustrating to not see the solution we want immediately in front of us. But that won’t stop us from continuing to advocate for these rail developments. 

The value of Bus Rapid Transit

According to the Federal Transit Administration, BRT is extremely valuable to riders and the agencies running them:

• Travel time decreased in Pittsburgh by 55% in the city’s BRT corridors.

• Safety ratings on the Boston Silver Line BRT increased by 19%.

• In practice, system ridership grew by 20 to 96 percent across several cities. 

• BRT expands the capacity of traditional bus lines by up to 14%, being able to carry 9,000 to 30,000 people per hour. 

BRT Finances

Ohio has a large gap in the funding needed for public transportation. As of 2017, Policy Matters Ohio estimates that there is nearly a 650 million dollar gap in funding. 

On top of that, transportation agencies are continuing to struggle with funding due to tax changes and structuring of funding sources.

Financially BRT is an achievable locally funded investment.

• Capital costs are reduced by using BRT as compared to other transportation systems.  

• BRT costs around half the amount needed for a light rail system.

• BRT’s costs per vehicle mile hour is around as low as a traditional bus system while expanding capacity. 

  
  

Better and On The Way To Perfect

Rail is the ultimate goal for mobility, so while we do not believe BRT is the final solution, we know it works within the landscape of transportation funding and infrastructure in the United States. 

With Ohio’s thin population density in urban areas and its spread out population in rural places, utilizing our existing infrastructure to implement BRT would be quicker, cheaper, and be a natural step towards better infrastructure in the US. 

We can envision BRT allowing Ohio cities to expand corridors which will then be primed for rail as the region grows. And not to forget, there are intercity passenger rail routes coming to Ohio such as the 3C and D or the Midwest Connect, we need better transportation to get people to and from those stations. 

Let's not miss out on a chance for real change because we're looking to the perfect solution. Let’s make things better now and keep advocating for even more improvements, like we’ve done for over 50 years.