Integrating BRT Systems into Roadway Networks: Strong roadway partnerships on BRT projects improve outcomes for all

Thirty-six of the 56 transit projects — nearly two-thirds — in the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) pipeline are bus rapid transit (BRT) projects, according to data posted Nov. 1, 2024, on the CIG dashboard. 

The growth of new BRT projects can be attributed to many positive factors, including flexibility, cost, development time and more. However, integrating a new mode of travel within a busy operating roadway comes with planning and design challenges. Strong collaboration between project sponsors, transit and roadway agencies can help overcome these obstacles, improving overall corridor operation, user experience and safety.   

Getting roadway partners to the table 

When successful, adding a BRT line can significantly enhance overall roadway operation. Increased transit ridership, improved safety and greater mobility within a corridor benefit all users within the community. Starting conversations early with potential partner agencies — and communicating how a BRT benefits them through shared opportunity — opens the door to continued collaboration and in some cases, both financial and project development support. This collaboration is key to the alteration of an existing roadway design and its ongoing operation. 

The RapidRide J Line in Seattle, which broke ground in October 2024, is a joint effort of the Seattle Department of Transportation and King County Metro. Working together to not only create a new BRT route, the project will also include new protected bike lanes, nearly 200 improved crosswalks, two miles of repaved roadways and nearly three miles of repaired sidewalks. In addition to these enhancements, critical water main work will be undertaken along Eastlake Avenue E to provide resilient infrastructure for Seattle residents. The work is part of a complete streets effort that improves the experience for all users, whether they ride a bus or not.  

Emphasizing win-win scenarios like this can build support with potential partners, showing how BRT projects can complement safety and other active transportation investments. Key to this is the partnership between transit and roadway agencies needed to successfully integrate new BRT routes into existing roads. On the J Line, for instance, because of limited right of way space in the tight Eastlake Avenue corridor, roadway and transit teams collaborated to tailor the design to each road section, placing stations on islands to separate bicycle and pedestrian space from vehicle traffic. 

Agencies leading BRT projects, in some instances, will need to help roadway partners understand the benefits of partnering. On those projects, getting roadway partners engaged often begins with positioning the BRT as a long-term transportation asset that supports management of capacity and boosts safety outcomes. Transit agencies can highlight how a BRT project can help mitigate existing traffic congestion and help improve the resilience of the overall transportation network by addressing future growth and mobility needs. In many cases, new corridors’ multimodal improvements also align with roadway agencies’ long-term goals, such as Vision Zero, sustainability or equity initiatives. By becoming involved in the early planning, roadway agencies and partners can help shape critical design decisions, reducing future conflicts. 

Collaborative design improves overall operation and safety 

The most successful BRT projects meet the needs of transit operations while recognizing the importance of roadway knowledge to identify opportunities and challenges along a BRT route. By engaging roadway professionals at the onset of project development and involving them throughout the process, projects can identify and resolve conflicts, providing better integration into existing networks and improving mobility for the whole community. 

In Charleston, S.C., the community is building the first BRT in the state. Part of the proposed route travels along a very wide roadway with little pedestrian infrastructure and a need for traffic improvements. Taking advantage of the road’s wide median, the partners collaborated on a solution, putting the new BRT route in what had been a median, rather than side lanes on the already congested street. This redesign of traffic lanes will create a pedestrian refuge for shorter/safer crossings, improving the experience for drivers and pedestrians. But it also allows for a dedicated lane for buses to improve transit reliability, showing how BRT projects developed in collaboration can improve the mobility and safety for all users. 

In Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has partnered with multiple local jurisdictions to advance the CO7 (Arapahoe Avenue) BRT program, linking Brighton to Boulder. This heavily traveled commuter route includes a combination of urban and rural areas, each with different design challenges. The corridor was divided into multiple segments to be sensitive to urban, rural and transitional characteristics. The urban section includes a recommended cross section with curbside business access and transit (BAT) lanes, multi-use paths, and protected intersections for bicycles and pedestrians. CDOT is now supporting the city of Boulder with advancing the full design of the urban segment. These extra improvements will enhance mobility for pedestrians and cyclists while also addressing first-mile/last-mile access issues for those using the new BRT line. 

Tailor design solutions to unique roadway corridor and jurisdictional characteristics 

Every roadway corridor has its own characteristics that require tailored solutions for successful BRT integration. These challenges can be compounded when a route travels through multiple jurisdictions. However, whether addressing urban, suburban or rural design challenges, effective collaboration with roadway and transit experts helps BRT systems fit into each existing environment. 

As Metro Transit planned the METRO D Line BRT system in the cities of Minneapolis, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center and Richfield, Minn., it overcame several roadway-related challenges. The D Line has nearly 80 platforms, with many adjacent to driveways and intersections. It was critical that the BRT shelters and pylons did not create visual obstructions and stations needed to match established criteria for driver sightlines. The more than 18-mile project travels a route with roads maintained by multiple authorities and those authorities — four cities and one county — each have slightly different design standards for sightlines. 

As a result, the location and design of each station was assessed based on the standards of the relevant roadway authority for that section. In collaboration with Metro Transit and other stakeholders, stations were modified as needed to meet the requirements of each authority to find modifications or exceptions that would work for specific locations.  

For example, station amenities were shifted at various locations to avoid visual obstructions. BRT projects often face multi-jurisdictional challenges when creating routes that are integrated into existing street networks and maintained by multiple agencies. Having roadway engineering professionals on the project allowed the team to collaborate with these agencies and meet varying standards. Upon launching, the METRO D Line quickly became the most heavily used BRT line in Minnesota, with more than four million rides taken within its first year. Ridership continues to expand.  

Shared roadway improvements can mean shared funding  

BRT projects are often intricately linked with roadway improvement projects as part of larger corridor upgrades. Some BRT projects are spurred by planned roadway improvements and some roadway improvements are spurred by planned BRT projects. As a result, knowledge of multi-modal grant funding processes and understanding the use requirements is important to finance roadway improvements, as well as transit components. The FTA’s CIG program will remain central to obtaining funding for transit infrastructure construction. However, other federal funding sources aimed at multi-modal corridor development and improvement can be useful, particularly for additional studies or planning.  

Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant funding — administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) — can be acquired to offset the cost of road safety improvements that are often also desired to be implemented along proposed BRT corridors. SS4A funds are obtainable through the program for the next two years for use on any project within an area with a Safety Action Plan.  

Cities and transit agencies can apply and receive money to pay for safety infrastructure improvements such as high intensity activated crosswalks, sidewalk improvements, pedestrian lighting, high friction and traffic calming treatments, ADA upgrades and first/last mile connections for transit stops. When one of HDR’s national safety practice leads worked with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), a successful SS4A application helped cover the cost of a safety study that examined pedestrian connectivity within a half mile of all BRT stations.  

Additional funding sources that could be overlooked are also obtainable for various BRT-aligned project improvements. Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation and Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovation grants can boost efficiency and safety, such as advanced traffic signals and intelligent transportation systems. Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funding — used to advance the Albuquerque Rapid Transit and RapidRide J lines — can also be awarded to BRT projects since they help reduce congestion and improve air quality by prioritizing transit. 

An alignment of capital planning allows all partners to plan improvements in the same corridor and seek funding that can be used to complete improvements. For example, in Minnesota, the successful arterial BRT program has stitched together coordinated efforts funded by FTA, FHWA, state and local sources to propel corridors forward. 

Uniting roadway and BRT stakeholders to boost mobility 

BRT projects represent an opportunity to transform roadway corridors for multimodal use. By integrating roadway design expertise with BRT planning, these projects can expand mobility options, enhance safety and provide lasting infrastructure improvements for all users. Successful BRT systems rely on partnerships that prioritize the unique characteristics of each corridor, leveraging tailored design solutions and diverse funding opportunities to create efficient, reliable and community-focused transit networks.