Groundbreaking for Jax's Bus Rapid Transit on Monday

[ProjectMaximus]

Glad they took the advice and called it "First Coast" something.

I was fine with the "MAX" name.

[AaroniusLives]

Here's my issue with the "First Coast Flyer,": it's not BRT. It's an enhanced bus service, which isn't the same thing remotely.

[tufsu1]

Here's my issue with the "First Coast Flyer,": it's not BRT.

by the Federal Transit Administration's definition, it is.

[exnewsman]

Here's my issue with the "First Coast Flyer,": it's not BRT.

by the Federal Transit Administration's definition, it is.

And that's who's been driving this bus...

[thelakelander]

^Basically. However, locally, we need to know the difference regardless of what the FTA is officially calling it. Not knowing what true BRT is and expecting enhanced bus service to provide the same results only sets the public up for utter disappointment. We can start by not promising John Q Taxpayer that it's like LRT on rubber wheels, can be converted into LRT at a later date, or that it will generate transit oriented development.  All those things are highly inaccurate and can be argued to be flat out disingenuous. We should keep it real and promote the benefits that it really will bring. That is, introduce a few reliable, clean, easy to understand major bus routes to our landscape.  A few downtown streets will also get rebuilt in the process. That in and of itself, is a major positive.

[duvaldude08]

Not sure if its related the BRT, but they are definately changing routes and adding stops. Over by my house alone, theyve added two bus stops along Morse. And several along Ricker rd. I had a friend who was staying with me at one point and he complained about how the closet stop was on Jammes or Blanding. Those new stops will be a definate plus for this area. Because before hand, there were very very few stops over here.

[thelakelander]

That's the route optimization work. The new routes begin in December and should result in several bus routes dropping down to 30 minute headways and under.

[Charles Hunter]

And some service disappearing.  The closest stop is now just over a quarter mile from home - after Dec. 1, it will be over a mile.  They gotta get the added service from somewhere.

[AaroniusLives]

We should keep it real and promote the benefits that it really will bring. That is, introduce a few reliable, clean, easy to understand major bus routes to our landscape.  A few downtown streets will also get rebuilt in the process. That in and of itself, is a major positive.

I agree, although without a dedicated lane or dedicated right of way, "enhanced bus service" does little to nothing to address travel time issues. Which is to say that for $2 million a mile, you get a snazzy bus and some snazzy shelters that slightly decrease travel times via snazzy traffic light tech. For $20-$25 million a mile, you get the snazzy shelters and traffic light tech while also offering significant decreases in travel time on that bus route.

I think in this case, incremental offerings (from slow, regular bus to slightly less slow but more snazzy bus,) doesn't demonstrate the benefits of exclusive right-of-way. A nice bus that goes slow doesn't solve the problem inherent with non-exclusive right of way issues.

It would ALSO help in the LRT and streetcar debate, which is to say that the arguments have been frequently muddled in this regard.

Streetcar advocates support that mode over BRT because for equivalent cost, you can choose one over the other...but only one (with true exclusive ROW BRT) gets you the speed and frequency you need to make a difference.

With Gold Standard BRT versus LRT, for the equivalent cost, you get both local, express and direct BRT service via a passing lane incorporated into the system.

Which is to say that with the enhanced bus service, you're not really making the leap into effective mass transit, at least in my opinion.

[tufsu1]

I agree, although without a dedicated lane or dedicated right of way, "enhanced bus service" does little to nothing to address travel time issues.

not necessarily.  There are things such as transit signal priority and intersection queue jumps that can vastly improve travel time.  These will be employed at some locations along the BRT routes.