 Buses on Shoulders - as heard on KYXY FM
Buses on Shoulders - as heard on KOGO AM
In early December 2005, SANDAG, in collaboration with Caltrans, Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), and the California Highway Patrol, will launch an innovative, one-year demonstration project to allow buses on MTS route 960 to drive on the freeway shoulder from I-805 and Nobel Drive to SR 52 and Kearny Villa Road during morning and evening rush hours.
Making this unused stretch of highway available to buses in times of congestion gets the most out of the existing system at a very low cost, and is expected to increase reliability and service on the transit route. The pilot project also will test the feasibility of expanding this concept to other freeways in the San Diego region.
Over the past several years, SANDAG has been working toward increasing the speed and effectiveness of public transportation throughout the region. Over the long-term, the Regional Transportation Plan calls for building and expanding of Managed Lanes and High Occupancy Vehicle facilities. Since these facilities will take a number of years to plan, design, and construct, SANDAG has developed a new strategy for bypassing congested freeway corridors for existing commuter express bus services. A promising solution is an innovative concept that would allow the use of freeway shoulders as a transit priority measure. Used successfully in Minneapolis since 1992, the use of shoulders as a low-speed bypass of congested freeway lanes offers a low-cost, easily implemented strategy that should increase transit operating speeds, on-time performance, and trip reliability.
Comments
Comments regarding this demonstration project may be submitted via our online public comment form or by contacting the project manager. |
