Next stop on Ashland Ave.: Bus Rapid Transit

Transit riders rejoice! A new day is dawning for public transportation in Chicago.

This morning the CTA released initial details on their vision for bringing Bus Rapid Transit to Ashland Avenue, beginning with a stretch between 31st Street and Cortland Street.

For those of us who care about bringing world-class public transit to Chicago, the announcement is cause for celebration (and it’s Friday!). A special thanks to the 1,300 of you who contacted your aldermen to support this project.

As explained in this handy infographic that Riders for Better Transit released last fall, BRT is a new mode of public transit that reinvents the bus. It offers a faster transit option that runs on existing streets, but with the convenience and reliability of a train.

Sounds great! But like many transit options, the devil is in the details.

Today’s announcement reflects a big win for all of us. The city chose a street configuration with center-running bus-only lanes, which we endorsed last year, because we believe it can provide the greatest improvement to transit service while making the street more pedestrian- and business-friendly.

All of these things add up to an efficient and easy system that’s a whole lot better than a regular old bus. And none of this would have happened without the input and energy of passionate advocates like you. Thank you for being involved.

Stay tuned for more news on BRT and other important transit topics by signing up for the Riders For Better Transit email list. You can also like us on facebook.

Image courtesy of BRT Chicago.