The Coming Crunch Between Car and Bus?
Will Montgomery's proposed rapid-bus network put drivers in a pinch?
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If transportation planners have their way, drivers in some of Montgomery County’s most congested corridors could start losing some of their traffic lanes.
The reason: a sprawling network of high-speed buses that will need dedicated lanes, particularly in Germantown, Silver Spring, Bethesda and White Oak.
Unlike decades-old proposals for mass transit lines like the Corridor Cities Transitway—which has nearly all of its 15-mile right-of-way already set aside—the Bus Rapid Transit network would have to find room along county roadways.
That has raised concerns of even more crowded roadways and increased commute times for those who can’t—or won’t—shake their driving habits, reported The Washington Post.
“Is there a risk here? Yes,” Mark Winston, chairman of the BRT task force, told The Post. “But I think the greater risk over the long run is doing nothing.”
Will enough drivers leave their cars behind to make the BRT venture worth it? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
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7:48 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012
No. BRT on the cheap will weave into and out of dedicated or "regular" lanes and in some cases will be just as fast or slow as other traffic. The current plan also does not take into account future growth in many parts of the Upcounty, so the Germantown area and the Damascus/Clarksburg areas will be under served by the plan, because the county does not believe there is enough population to effectively serve. It's virtually certain that the county won't invest enough to make this an effective option for most of the Germantown area.