Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

[Pete]

[Plutonic Panda]

I don’t know Pete it seems to me people could walk it and yes I know the weather here is bad but major routes like this should be as straight and quick as possible. But in all consideration I guess since this isn’t really true BRT just rapid bus service I can understand this routing more. People in Oklahoma need to walk and bike more.

I still contend that one day the median should be turned into bus only lanes with articulated busses going up to SH-4, down to Reno, and following Reno back to downtown OKC on dedicated lanes.

[SEMIweather]

You're essentially adding on two extra stoplights by taking the NW 56th route as opposed to staying on Expressway. Which shouldn't be a big deal, *if* the lights are timed properly for the bus. In my personal experience all of the lights on that stretch of NW 56th are horribly timed, but that doesn't mean they can't fix it.

The entire area around the hospital is currently a pedestrian nightmare, which of course can be fixed as well, but I'd give the city better odds to fix a few traffic lights than to install a whole bunch of new pedestrian infrastructure in an area with no immediate houses or apartments.

[Plutonic Panda]

I’m assuming the pedestrian infrastructure will be fixed here regardless given the route is coming through here? It’d be cool to see more details on the additional improvements.

[lady_o]

I personally wish they had decided to place their stops on either sides of NW Expressway and have a more direct route.

Under the approved design, everyone north of the expressway (Founders District, Highland Hills, Roberts Crest, Belle Isle) won't really have access to the BRT. It's funny since the study included them in the estimates of economic activity in the corridor, but their access wasn't considered in the planning.

They seem to be proposing crosswalks at intersections (which is great, it's virtually impossible to cross right now). But it will still be difficult and dangerous to cross NW Expressway even if they add crosswalks at the intersections, just due to the nature of the road.

The approved route is good if you're exclusively focused on the hospital and not the corridor as a whole.

[Plutonic Panda]

The approved route is good if you're exclusively focused on the hospital and not the corridor as a whole.

My thoughts exactly.

[the michigander]

Doesn't make sense the hospital area is covered by the routes 7&8 it should go straight down nw expressway from Walmart at Belle isle to Walmart on council they have missed the mark on all the housing and jobs passed nw expressway. Just my opinion.

[shawnw]

Many routes will change once this is in place if you recall from that survey last month there were several notional options leveraging the linkage provided by the BRT

[catch22]

Most of what that “detour” is bypassing is an extremely wide highway interchange. Continuing on NWX doesn’t increase ridership potential — which is the main purpose of transit. It would certainly look cleaner with a straight line but I don’t see the hospital detour as being that big of a deal.

[Plutonic Panda]

Most of what that “detour” is bypassing is an extremely wide highway interchange. Continuing on NWX doesn’t increase ridership potential — which is the main purpose of transit. It would certainly look cleaner with a straight line but I don’t see the hospital detour as being that big of a deal.

It certainly could increase ridership if the overall line has a shorter end to end travel time. Speed is important.

[Pete]

End to end on this line is 12 to 15 minutes as configured.


Why are people even arguing this silly point? This has all been decided after a lot of study and ample opportunity for public input.

If you lived in the area, you'd easily understand why this makes perfect logical sense.

[TheTravellers]

End to end on this line is 12 to 15 minutes as configured....

Honest question since I don't know all the behind-the-scenes for things like this, but I assume they've driven this and simulated pick-ups and drop-offs and stops, and they've gotten 12-15 minutes end-to-end IRL?

[BoulderSooner]

Honest question since I don't know all the behind-the-scenes for things like this, but I assume they've driven this and simulated pick-ups and drop-offs and stops, and they've gotten 12-15 minutes end-to-end IRL?

google maps says it is 30 min with out stops ..

[lady_o]

If you lived in the area, you'd easily understand why this makes perfect logical sense.

I live one fourth of a mile from the integris stop

[BoulderSooner]

End to end on this line is 12 to 15 minutes as configured.


Why are people even arguing this silly point? This has all been decided after a lot of study and ample opportunity for public input.

If you lived in the area, you'd easily understand why this makes perfect logical sense.

google maps says it will take 30 min end to end and that is without the stops ..

[lady_o]

Per the design report (pg 48), northbound route will take 38 minutes end-to-end, and southbound will take 35.5 minutes. They will achieve an average 12 minute headway (wait time between vehicles) by using multiple busses. "The base running time estimate was developed from a field test. "

https://embarkok.com/assets/files/pl...port_Final.pdf

[shawnw]

https://freepressokc.com/okc-city-co...using-project/

The Bus Rapid Transit system coming soon to Oklahoma City was again the focus of conversation and one vote at Tuesday’s Council meeting.

Free Press has reported previously on the expansive and high-frequency new bus line coming to Oklahoma City soon.

On Tuesday, the Council received a report updating them on planning and design, and specifically focused on the platforms for BRT stops along the route.

The BRT has a price tag of nearly $29 million. Of that money, approximately $17 million will be dedicated to the construction of new platforms that allow embarking at the platform level, making ADA access much easier.

Additionally, street enhancements to accommodate platforms will be made over the construction phase. Intersections like the one at NW 23rd and Classen will need more infrastructure to make the intersection more compliant and friendly to ADA requirements and the users who need those protections.

The Council unanimously approved a call for bids for the station stops along the route from downtown to Northwest Expressway at Meridian.

These bids do not include the manufacturing of buses, which is almost finished. Buses are expected to be delivered in the next two months. The bids also don’t cover the building of two “Park & Ride” lots along the BRT route.

Free Press will continue to report on the BRT as it develops.

[HOT ROD]

might want to spend some extra cash on sidewalks to allow somewhere for those ADA passengers to go to/from further away from the bus stops. ...

While they're at it, how about some lighting and nearby landscaping.

Also, I'm curious to know where the 2nd park n ride will be, i know one will be at Lake Hefner (way to go there - NOT). The terminus/park n ride should be further up NW Expressway like say Rockwell or Council area - truly making this a real connection to NW OKC without ruining the otherwise "urban" lake.

And we truly should do this as Commuter Bus with 'BRT elements' all the way to NWX and Council (or a little further), instead of trying to call an otherwise glorified 'local' bus with platforms - BRT. Would really service the largest population area of OKC and even give Piedmont/N Yukon a transit connection.

[shawnw]

We got a NW BRT update this week at subcommittee. Probably most of this is already reported somewhere, but from my notes...

- First bus (of 9) delivery will be in May 22 (there will be some kind of public unveiling)
- Construction bids will be coming in during April 22
- Construction set to start in June 22
- Construction finishes Summer 23
- Equipment, system, and route testing commences
- Fare service begins Fall 23

In FY23, 27 new positions (mostly drivers, but others too).
In FY24, Dedicated TSP support personnel

Definitely no dedicated lanes, but possibly "HOV"/turn lanes in spots, which the bus would use. Otherwise just TSP and pull-off/queue jump lanes. I expressed concern about this considering the streetcar TSP doesn't always seem to perform well. It was explained that some of the streetcar TSPs were down (like 6-7 of them) a big chunk of time and that they didn't have folks dedicated to that specialty, but they will have dedicated TSP support folks on staff with the BRT.

While NE and S BRT in MAPS4 don't go online until 2028/29, source selection for planning/engineering provider happening in the next couple weeks so the alternatives analysis process can get going.

[BoulderSooner]

We got a NW BRT update

Definitely no dedicated lanes,

so not BRT really at all

[LocoAko]

so not BRT really at all

Nope. And as much as I wish we were getting a genuine BRT, I can't blame them for not wanting to dedicate lanes to buses that are only going to run at 10-15 minute frequencies. If we had a system like Bogota with 2-3 min frequencies, dedicated lanes would absolutely make more sense. I generally don't have much sympathy for those who complain about the need for more space for cars, but can you imagine the outcry if 2 lanes of Classen and NW Expwy had to sit empty with a bus only using it 4 times an hour? It's also surprising to hear there aren't (weren't?) dedicated TSP folks for the streetcar. Sigh. That said I'm excited to see the platforms as I'll be just a few blocks from one. I'm skeptical any sort of "park-and-ride" system for a bus is going to have much if any success, but I'd love to be proven wrong..

[HangryHippo]

Tsp?

[shawnw]

Tsp?

traffic signal priority

[LakeEffect]

traffic signal priority

So they're going to staff that for BRT but not streetcar? Wouldn't they be cross-trained and able to support both systems?

[Urbanized]

Bus Route Transit