Taking the bus to a whole new level

The service disruptions caused by the MBTA’s more aggressive maintenance schedule could provide a catalyst for better bus service, according to some of the chief proponents of bus rapid transit.

More common in other countries than the United States, bus rapid transit, or BRT, is a strategy that uses buses so they mimic the conveniences of a rail line. That should include a dedicated right-of-way in the center of roads to avoid turning traffic; bus stations with seating, shelter, platform-level boarding, a fare system that enables passengers to board at all doors; and priority given to the buses at traffic signals, according to Julia Wallerce, Boston program manager for the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy.

Wallerce found a lot of common ground with Jim Aloisi and Jarred Johnson of TransitMatters on this week’s episode of The Codcast, where the three discussed the benefits of BRT and some of the challenges of implementing it in metro Boston.

Some communities – namely Everett, Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, and Arlington – have incorporated elements of BRT, such as dedicated bus lanes, and Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria has gone the furthest, calling for a complete BRT system in his city, Wallerce said.

The T’s new maintenance schedule, spurred by Gov. Charlie Baker’s visit to the site of the June 11 Red Line crash, will mean more weekend shutdowns along rail lines. That could create the impetus for improvements to the T’s bus system, and incorporating elements of BRT, according to Wallerce.

There are also impediments to contorting Boston area roads to accommodate speedier service for bus riders, including a patchwork of sometimes disagreeing municipal jurisdictions, a general aversion to change, and a historic street layout that presents geometric challenges.

But other cities – including Mexico City and Eugene, Oregon – overcame the challenges of narrow thoroughfares, Wallerce said.

“You can be creative about how you use your street space in just about every way,” said Wallerce. There are no examples of true BRT in Massachusetts, but Hartford, Connecticut, has created such a system along an old rail line, she said.  

The Barr Foundation (which provides funding to CommonWealth) gave grants to Arlington, Everett, Cambridge, and Watertown to work with the T on creating speedier and more comfortable bus travel, and the transit agency appreciated the municipalities taking ownership of the service on their streets, Wallerce said.

“The T was such a critical partner and was, quite frankly, thrilled to see these communities stepping up rather than waiting for the T to take the lead,” Wallerce said. The recent Silver Line extension to Chelsea also showcased the ways that buses using a dedicated corridor can accelerate commutes.

“We’re at the point now where we’re thinking maybe it’s time to press play. Let’s do this,” Wallerce said.