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February
28, 2002 |
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MTA Board of
Directors Approve Expansion of Popular Metro Rapid Bus Lines The MTA Board of
Directors has approved the implementation of the Metro Rapid Expansion
Program that calls for the development of six additional Metro Rapid Bus
Lines that could begin service within 12 to 18 months. "The popularity of
two existing Metro Rapid bus lines that have been in operation since June,
2000 has shown us that more Metro Rapid bus lines are needed throughout
the region," said MTA Board Chairman John Fasana. "Operating speeds,
service quality, and customer response to Metro Rapid have all exceeded
MTA objectives." The success of the
Metro Rapid Demonstration Program has reduced passenger travel time by 25
percent. Ridership has increased nearly 35 percent with one-third of those
riders using Metro Rapid being new riders to the system. In approving the Metro
Rapid Expansion Program, a total of 23 corridors have been identified for
inclusion and have been prioritized into four implementation phases. It is
estimated that each phase of the program will take three years to
implement between 5 and 6 Metro Rapid bus lines. A total of 23 Metro Rapid
lines are scheduled for implementation. Phase one of the
program targets six transit corridors, encompassing 92.6 miles that
include lines 45/345 on South Broadway, lines 204/354 on Vermont Avenue,
lines 30/31/33/Santa Monica line 7 on Pico-Pico-Venice, lines 111/311 on
Florence Avenue, lines 251/252 on Soto Street and lines 233/561 on Van
Nuys Boulevard. Three Metro Rapid bus
lines on South Broadway, Vermont and Van Nuys are planned to be
operational within 12 to 18 months. The remainder of the phase one lines
should be completed within three years. Estimated cost for implementation
of six Metro Rapid Bus lines in the first phase is $24.6 million. MTA launched the
successful Metro Rapid Bus service in June 2000 with Metro Rapid Line 720
along a 26-mile route through the Wilshire/Whittier corridor from Santa
Monica to Montebello as well as Metro Rapid Line 750 on a 16-mile route
along Ventura Boulevard between Warner Center and the Universal City Metro
Red Line Station. Equipped with specially
painted red and white state-of-the-art compressed natural gas (CNG) buses,
the system functions like a "rubber tire railway." Each bus is
equipped with a loop detector which can turn a red signal to green and
also lengthen green signals up to 10 seconds to allow a Metro Rapid bus to
continue through intersections without stopping. In addition, Metro
Rapid buses board passengers at specially designed stations spaced
approximately 0.8 miles apart, operate on an "interval-based" schedule
unlike a "time-point-based" schedule, and many of the stops feature a
display which lets passengers know when the next Metro Rapid bus will
arrive. The Metro Rapid Bus
Program is the result of a partnership between the MTA and LADOT.
LADOT's role is to design and install the bus signal priority system. MTA developed a
conceptual plan for expanding the Metro Rapid Demonstration Program as
part of last year's adoption of the FY 2001 Long Range Transportation
Plan. A selection process was then developed to identify both MTA and
municipal operator corridors where the Metro Rapid Program goals and
objectives would best meet the needs of transit patrons. MTA-025 |
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