Abstract
In recent years, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has generated great interest across the United States. There are more than 20 BRT systems in existence and more are in the planning stage (including Detroit). Within the next few years, BRT will be planned and implemented phase by phase in various parts of Southeast Michigan. The purpose of this paper is to present a framework to identify probable economic and community benefits (quantitative as well as qualitative) of BRT in Southeast Michigan. Taxable Real Estate property, employment sector, population age group, daily vehicle miles traveled, as well as congestion level data were reviewed to identify Southeast Michigan’s current and future trends. A Shift-Share analysis using data from Cleveland was performed to determine BRT-advantaged age group. The authors suggested a number of action items to attract choice riders and excite transit dependent riders to the planned BRT system. Based on the literature review and analysis, the authors identified BRT-advantaged job sectors and age-groups within the Southeast Michigan region. As BRT will be implemented in phases, it will affect the amount, type and time of investment. Considering this uncertainty in implementation, projected economic benefit as a function of type and amount of investment was presented. It is to be noted that in order to achieve the desired outcome the system must be planned/designed/implemented within the context of Southeast Michigan rather than just copying a successful system from somewhere else.
Highlights
There are more than 20 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in existence and more are in the planning stage
BRT has been defined by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as a rapid mode of transportation that can provide the quality of rail transit and the flexibility of buses (Kittelson & Associates, 2007)
The authors investigated a number of cities that have implemented BRT, including Cleveland, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh, to identify BRT/transit-advantaged job sectors and age groups
Summary
Southeast Michigan officials have selected BRT as their preferred choice of future public transit. Within the few years (most likely starting in 2016), BRT will be planned and implemented phase by phase in the Southeast Michigan counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washtenaw. This effort aims to synthesize available evidence regarding BRT ( other transit system) performance, cost and impact to identify the potential economic impacts of BRT for Southeast Michigan and to determine which among the various component elements and features available for BRT systems would potentially provide the greatest benefits, given the region’s unique characteristics
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