FBRT's Preferred BRT Alternatives

At our meeting of August 19, we agreed to support the following as our preferred alternative for AC Transit's BRT project. Our statement chooses among options that the DEIR proposes for Berkeley, and also supports features that apply to the entire project. (At later meetings, we may decide to add items to this list.)

Friends of BRT's Position on BRT Options

Yes to the Build Alternative. Rapid is not good enough. The reason Rapid is not good enough is that we are planning for the future, and the future promises nothing but more congestion. Ultimately the Rapid will be slowed by that congestion and will no longer be an attractive option. Any gaps in the dedicated lanes will degrade reliability of the entire system.

Yes to Combined BRT and local service, with the proviso that stations will be close enough together not to burden current local riders. There should be an added station at Telegraph and Derby.

Yes to the following features:

• Dedicated bus lanes for as much of the route as possible
• Proof of payment
• Transit-signal priority
• NextBus signage
• Attractive stations and streetscape improvements
• Lowest possible emissions produced by buses with the best emissions-reducing technology available (not in the DEIR but a key element in the marketability of this project)
  

Beyond what is described in the DEIR, also consider:

• Sale of tickets at other locations in addition to BRT stations, such as convenience stores and grocery stores.
• In addition to this BRT project, we support improvement to bus service on University Ave., possibly including BRT or RapidBus.

Preferred configurations:

Downtown:

• Two-way median-running transitway on Shattuck from Bancroft to Center.
• One-way north bus service on East Shattuck between Center and University, with only local traffic plus buses on this branch of Shattuck.
• One-way south bus service on West Shattuck between University and Center, with two-way traffic on this branch of Shattuck.

Telegraph/Southside:

• Two-way traffic on Bancroft to Telegraph, with Bancroft following the "restricted" two-way pattern being studied by city staff and described (partly) in the DEIR
• On Telegraph between Dwight and Bancroft, we prefer a two-way transit mall. It would also work to have the Telegraph-Dana couplet with a dedicated bus lane north-bound on Telegraph and south-bound onon Dana; we prefer using a car lane for the bus lane on Dana, without removing parking.
• Two-way median-running transitway from Dwight to Berkeley-Oakland border to include at least one new station not described in the DEIR (preferably on Derby St.) to allow for more convenient accessibility.