The issue: Long commutes, poor connections for many Chicagoans
An effective transportation network makes connections—between people and the places they want and need to go, between businesses and customers, and between neighborhoods and the broader city and region. Chicago's rapid transit network was built with the assumption that most travelers needed to go downtown, leading to our hub-and-spoke system of rail lines that converge on the Loop. Cross-town trips—those that do not need to pass through downtown—require slow bus trips. Over 10 million people travel by bus each year on the north-south Ashland corridor—more than some Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) rail lines—but they must endure delays and unreliable service.
The solution: New rapid, reliable transit service
BRT provides rail-like speed, convenience and community benefits at a fraction of the cost
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a new standard of transit service that provides rail-like speed and convenience at a fraction of the cost of installing rail. MPC’s Bus Rapid Transit: Chicago’s New Route to Opportunity lays the groundwork for a 10-route BRT network in Chicago that would provide more equitable transit service to help people access jobs, shops, schools, hospitals and other destinations across the city.
Gold standard BRT includes four key elements that make it truly a rapid transit experience: dedicated bus lanes, pay-before-you-board stations, signal prioritization and at-grade boarding. The City of Chicago is piloting some elements of BRT on Jeffery Boulevard; planning is underway on a Central Loop BRT route; and in April 2013, the City announced its vision for center-running BRT service on Ashland Avenue, with the first phase of implementation planned between Cortland and 31st Street. MPC strongly supports this vision and is continuing to work with the City to identify economic development opportunities along the Ashland corridor, as well as to explore the potential for a citywide BRT plan.
The benefits: Better transportation options, new development opportunities
- BRT will provide new connectivity to neighborhoods that otherwise lack good transportation access.
- BRT on Ashland Avenue will create essential north-south connections while linking to existing CTA and Metra rail stations.
- BRT's enhanced service and substantial, neighborhood-defining stations will generate high-potential opportunities for community and economic development along the Ashland corridor.
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