The rapid transit
bus is pulling ahead of light rail in a study that's examining
future ways to travel in Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's ongoing study of
rapid transit has found that it's more cost-effective to build lanes
dedicated to express buses instead of constructing light rail lines.
If ridership on the bus rapid transit system grows enough, then
Jacksonville could justify the higher cost of building light rail,
said Ed Castellani, the rapid transit project manager for the JTA.
"It would be an evolutionary approach," he said.
The transportation study will determine how the JTA spends $100
million to buy rights-of-way for a future rapid transit system. The
Better Jacksonville Plan, which voters OK'd with a half-cent sales
tax in 2000, earmarked the funding. The JTA board will decide in a
year on a route, at which time the authority will also determine the
type of transit.
Light rail has been the preference of a citizen committee that
has been working with the JTA.
"People think trains are sexy, so if you say, 'Would you like
light rail or rapid bus transit?' the hands are going to go up for
light rail," said Michael Stewart, co-chair of the citizen
committee.
In a comparison of various routes through North and South
Jacksonville, the JTA estimated the construction costs of light rail
would range from $741 million to $910 million. Building a bus rapid
transit system would cost $320 million to $462 million.
On a per-trip basis, the expense of building and operating a
light rail system would translate to a cost of about $11 a trip for
a passenger, whereas the expense for bus rapid transit would be
about $3.50 a trip.
The cost estimates are subject to change based on the length of
the route that's selected, but the trend shows the advantage of bus
rapid transit from a funding standpoint, officials say.
In bus rapid transit, lanes are built for use only by express
buses and possibly car pools. The separate lanes allow buses, which
now get caught in traffic jams along with other vehicles, to travel
at the road's speed limit any time of day. The buses would have
elevated ramps to take them over congested intersections without
stopping at traffic lights.
Like light rail, the bus rapid transit would have a network of
stations with covered waiting areas where people would get their
tickets and board. The travel speed will be comparable to light
rail.
"It really is light rail without the rails," JTA Executive
Director Derek Morse said.
Other cities are opting for bus rapid transit when they compete
for federal funding, said Dennis Hinebaugh, co-director of the
National BRT Institute, an effort launched by the Center for Urban
Transportation Research in Tampa and the University of California at
Berkeley.
"There are about 200 metropolitan areas that are looking for
light rail funding, but there's only funding to do about 10 or 12
light rail starts in the next 10 years," he said.
The JTA wants to use the $100 million in funding for
rights-of-way as a local match to attract several hundred million
dollars in support from the federal government.
Staff writer David Bauerlein can be reached at (904)
359-4581 or via e-mail at dbauerlein.
