Around the globe, mass transit has proven to be an integral piece of drawing professional talent to an area and spurring millions in economic development. With a sleek train-like bus rapid transit line and a proposed downtown streetcar on the horizon, Grand Rapids will soon be leading the industry in transit innovation.
According to excerpts from the story:
The Rapid's Public Transportation Tomorrow Taskforce was established to guide the development of our community's transportation vision for the next 25 years and beyond. Made up of business, community, and government leaders, the taskforce has been working closely with local jurisdictions, organizations and the general public on strategies to address mobility improvements, economic development, traffic congestion and environmental concerns. From their endeavors, two potential projects emerged.
The first is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in the Division Avenue corridor. The BRT line is a rapid bus service that operates like rail, but using sleek streamlined rubber tired vehicles. Elements of the service include: 19 stations; 10 minute frequency; electronic signs announcing arrival; multiple doors for easy access; ticket vending at stations or on the Internet; high occupancy lanes in direction of peak travel; and traffic signals providing priority for the service.
Read the complete story here.
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