City of Phoenix > Public Transit > BRT
In 2015, Phoenix voters approved Proposition 104, creating the 35-year street and transit plan known as Transportation 2050 or T2050.Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was identified as a keycomponent of T2050 to continueexpanding our city's high capacity transit network. As a new transit option for Phoenix, BRT will transform and improve transit speed, reliabilityand overall riderexperience.Phoenix BRT is being developed with community input and collaboration and based on where current and future transit ridership shows the most need. What is happening now? The City of Phoenix has selected its first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor – 35th Avenue/Van Buren Street – and we want to connect with YOUto share an overview of the corridor, provide insight into where we are in the project and next steps, and hearyourthoughts! Visit MeetPhoenixBRT.comto learn more! Sign Up Now!Keep up to date with newsand information about thePhoenix Bus Rapid Transit program. What is BRT? Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high capacity bus service that operates throughout the day on major roads with afocus on improved speed, reliability, convenienceand overall transit experience. Some of the elements found in BRT systems include enhanced stations, custom buses, advanced fare collection, unique branding, dedicated lanesand transit spot improvements (such as queue jump lanes and transit signal priority). Elements of BRT Why BRT? BRT is part of our commitment to you in the Transportation 2050 plan. Expands mobility choices to help keep pace with region's growing transportation needs. For more information on regional efforts visit Maricopa Association ofGovernments. Improves speed and reliability of existing transit network in Phoenix. Assists riders traveling across Phoenix and connecting to other cities. How is BRT Different from RAPID/Express? Versión en español: ¿En qué se diferencia BRT de RAPID / Express? Top of page The purpose of thisCommunity Education and Engagement Plan (CEEP)is to provide education, seek input, and foster community collaboration throughthe next phase of technical analysis anddetailed planning thatwill identify specific design alternatives for the 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street corridor.In April 2022,Phoenix City Council approved the Phoenix BRT Programto continuecommunity education and engagement, alternatives analysis, and 15% design plansfor the initial Bus Rapid Transit corridor: 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street. The community education and engagement effort is a major component of this program and will continue to include citywide education for BRT, as well as corridor-specific community and business engagement. Community Outreach Phase 2- Spring 2023 In Spring 2023, the Phoenix Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) team launched the second phase of community outreach to educate and engage the public on the BRT Program. Outreach focused on educating the public on the elements and characteristics of BRT, the preliminary alternative concepts, and the evaluation criteria for the alternatives analysis process for the 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street corridor. Past Outreach Efforts Community Outreach Phase I- Fall 2022 In fall 2022, the Phoenix BRT program began itsalternatives analysisand conceptual design processfor the 35th Avenue/Van Buren Street Corridor. During this phase, the team evaluated existing conditions and collectedinput from the community on their needs for the BRT corridor. TheCommunity Outreach Phase I included a survey – called the BRT Corridor Survey– that sought public input on preferences for BRT along the corridor as well as business-specificinformation. BRT CorridorOutreach Phase I- SurveySummary Top of page The City of Phoenix has selected its first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor – 35th Avenue/Van Buren Street – andwe want to connect with YOU to share an overview of the corridor, provide insight into where we are in the project and next steps, and hear your thoughts!Visit MeetPhoenixBRT.com to learn more! Sign Up Now!Keep up to date with newsand information about thePhoenix Bus Rapid Transit program. Tuesday, March 28| 5:30 – 7 PM Tuesday, March 21| 5:30 – 7 PM Carl Hayden Community High School – 3333 W Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85009 Spanish PublicMeeting Presentation Top of page Learn moreabout the Phoenix BRT Program. Answer: BRT, or bus rapid transit, is a modern, high capacity bus network that improves travel speed and reliability, passenger capacity, and the customer experience through various available transit enhancements. BRT uses specialized buses with multiple doors for fast entry and exit, an off-board fare payment system, and level platform boarding, making it easier for people of all abilities to efficiently access the system. It can also include priority treatment at signalized intersections to increase speed and reliability and may include dedicated bus lanes in some areas to facilitate faster trips. Answer:There is no universal standard for BRT, asitisplanned and designed to best meet the needs of the community. Phoenix BRT program elements may include: Custom buses and enhanced bus stations with level boarding Off-board fare payment; for example, purchase fares on your phone or at a kiosk, instead of paying as you board the bus Unique branding Transit spot improvements such as traffic signal priority for buses at intersections Dedicated bus lanes for BRT vehicles Answer:Transportation 2050, a comprehensive transportation plan crafted and approved by Phoenix voters, included bus rapid transit as a key element of the plan. BRT provides a valuable new “tool" in the mobility toolbox, adding to the metropolitan area's comprehensive transportation system in a way that complements and enhances it, and increasing the number of transportation options we have in Phoenix. The 35th Avenue/Van Buren BRT corridor currently has some of the highest transit ridership in the city. The need for priority bus investment is well documented, as traveling “across the grid" in Phoenix can be very time consuming. Implementing BRT will be a major improvement to Phoenix's grid-based transit network. Answer:Local busoperates in local traffic, subject to the same congestion delays as thattraffic. BRT can – and typically does – include a variety of elements thatallow it to operate more efficiently through traffic congestion. Some of theseelements include dedicated travel lanes and transit spot improvements likequeue jump lanes (allowing BRT a head start at an intersection) and transitsignal priority (adjusting red or green light timing to better accommodateBRT). These elements help to make BRT about 20 to 25 percent faster than localbus service – a big difference in travel time. Answer: A queue jump is used to provide preference to buses at intersections. It consists of an additional lane at an intersection, accompanied by its own traffic signal, allowing buses to merge smoothly back into the regular throughlanes; giving buses a head start over othertraffic. For more information about queue jumps, visit theTransit Street Design Guide. Answer:Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a technology that allows BRT vehicles to communicate with traffic signals within the designated BRT corridor. TSP can help vehicles move more quickly through the corridor and increase transit reliability via two methods: Extended Green:When a BRT vehicle is approaching a green signal that is about to turn yellow, it mayrequest that the signal's green phase be extended by a few seconds to allow the vehicle to travel the intersection. Early Green:Likewise, a BRT vehicle approaching a red signal that is about to turn green may request that the signal turn green slightly early so that the vehicle can get through the intersection. Answer:RAPID and Express routes operate on freeways and utilize the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes whenever possible. RAPID and Express routes provide service in the morning and again in the evening, during the traditional commuter “rush" hours. Each has a limited number of stops that are near the beginning and end of a particular route. BRT provides high-capacity bus service that canoperate throughout the day on major roads, and features transit enhancements that improve travel speed, transit frequency, passenger capacity, and the overall customer experience. Answer:There are many benefits of BRT for afast-growing city like Phoenix, which include: Faster and more frequent service. BRT is often 20 to 25 percent faster than localbus service. Increased cost efficiency. BRT can reduce operatingcosts by stopping less often, thus increasing the travel speed of the vehicle. This reduces the number of vehicles needed to adhere to headways(or frequencies)ona route. Reduced travel delays. BRT can benefit transit users by removing the busfrommixed traffic in congested areas and keep passengers moving. Answer: BRT is funded through the City of Phoenixvoter-approved Transportation 2050 (T2050) plan. Answer: The cost of BRT can vary widely and isultimately determined by the level of investment inBRT elements. We are just gettingstarted on designingPhoenix's first BRT corridor of 35th Ave and Van Buren Street andexact costs have not yet been determined.While there is no universal standard for BRT, costswill depend on options such as station design, transit spot improvements and dedicated lanes. Answer: BRT provides improved accessibility for passengers of all abilities including features such as level boarding, enhanced passenger amenities at stations, more doors on the bus forbetter entry and exitand more room for circulation within buses and on station platforms. Answer: BRT systems can be found in over 160 cities worldwide with dozens moreunder construction across the country. Some cities include: Answer: In October 2021, the Phoenix City Council unanimously approved 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street as the first BRT corridor in Phoenix. In April 2022, Phoenix City Council unanimously approved the BRT Program to continue community and stakeholder engagement, alternatives analysis, and 15% design plans for the initial BRT corridor of 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street. (Map) Answer: The selected corridor was identified through a transit analysisprocess and an 11-month city-wide outreach process which included: Ultimately, based on your input and results from our analysis, we identified 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street as the first BRT corridor as it provides high ridership, good geographic coverage, and connects the existing and future transit networks in Phoenix (particularly future light rail extensions in Phoenix). Answer: As the Phoenix BRT corridor development is still in early design phases, impacts to concurrent studies or projects is unknown at this time. However, the BRT team is closely coordinating with all seven projects within the BRT corridor to develop solutions that best meet the needs of our community. For more information on concurrent projects and studies, visit their webpages below or connect with their project team: Answer: The Phoenix BRT team is currently in early design, developing alternatives for the selected BRT corridor. We anticipate that construction activities for this corridor would begin in 2026. Answer: As the corridor is still in early design phases, specific business impacts are unknown at this time. However, the Phoenix BRT team will work with businesses directly along the corridor to understand concerns and any unknown considerations that may help inform corridor design. If you are a business along the 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street Corridor and looking for ways to get involved and stay connected, visit MeetPhoenixBRT.com and sign up to be added to our stakeholder list. Be sure to include your business name so we can add you directly to our business stakeholder list. Answer:BRT can accommodate bicycles, either on racks on the front of the bus or racks/hangers inside of each bus. Bicycle storage features will be determinedonce the BRT buses are selected. In addition, BRT typically offers locations to secure bicycles at or adjacent to the station. Answer: As we are still early in the design process, the inclusion of bike lanes along the corridor has not been decided. However, in the current design stage, the team is analyzing multiple BRT options both with and without bike lanes to determine impacts on the surrounding environment (such as right of way needed). Ultimately, our priority is to create a safe and accessible environment for the community that promotes connection. Answer: Pedestrian facilities will be included in the design of BRT corridor as the team is dedicated to creating a safe and accessible environment for pedestrians that promotes convenient travel connections. Answer:As the project is still in early design stages, impacts to the surrounding community are unknown at this time. During the design process, we will be evaluating multiple BRT options and impacts of each to determine a BRT option that meets the community's needs, is feasible within the corridor, and aligns with the priorities for developing BRT on this corridor. The five priorities for this corridor include: Answer: Yes. The existing bus service, Route 3 on Van Buren Street and Route 35 on 35th Avenue, will continue to operate as additional service to the new BRT system. Top of page Meet Phoenix BRT Community Connection Form Keep up to date with newsand information about thePhoenix Bus Rapid Transit program.We’re open for suggestions, questions and comments or available to just chat! • Call us at 602-262-7242 Note when you submit an email it falls under the city's policy which states that the email message is: (1) subject to public disclosure under the Public Records Law, (2) is not private or confidential and (3) is retained for 90 days. You mayaccess free electronic devicelibrary resources at any Phoenix Public Library locations (COVID-19 restrictions may apply). can use this space for temp items!
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Phoenix Bus Rapid TransitProgram
Bus Rapid Transit101
Community Engagement
Ways to Participate
Public Meetings
May 31, 2023 Formal Meeting
May 17, 2023 Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee
April 27, 2023 Citizens Transportation Commission
April 11, 2023 and April 13, 2023 BRT Pop-Up Events
April 4, 2023 Virtual Public Meeting
March 21, 2023 and March 28, 2023 In-PersonPublic Meetings
Trinity United Methodist Church – 3104 W Glendale Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85051April 20, 2022 Formal City Council Meeting
February 24, 2022 Citizens Transportation Commission Meeting
October 6, 2021 Formal City Council Meeting
September 15, 2021 Transportation, Infrastructure and PlanningCommission Meeting
May 27, 2021 Citizens Transportation Commission Meeting
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)
Question 1: What is BRT?
Question 2: What are some typical elements of BRT?
Question 3: WhyBRT?
Question 4: Why not just improve local bus service?
Question 5: What is a queue jump?
Question 6: What is Transit Signal Priority?
Question 7:How is BRT different thancurrent bus transit services?
Question8:What are the benefits of BRT?
Question 9: How is BRT funded?
Question 10: How much will Phoenix BRT cost?
Question 11: How will BRT accommodate different abilities?
Question 12: What other cities have BRT?
Question 13:What is the approved BRT corridor?
Question 14:How was the approved BRT corridor identified?
Question 15: Does this project impact any other concurrent projects along 35th Avenue?
Question 16:When will construction on the 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street Corridor begin?
Question 17:How will businesses along the 35th Avenue and Van Buren Street Corridor be impacted?
Question 18: How will BRT vehicles and stations accommodate the cycling community?
Question 19:Will there be bike lanes along the corridor?
Question 20:Will there be pedestrian facilities along the corridor?
Question 21:How will construction impact the surrounding community?
Question 22:Will the existing bus service Route 3 and Route 35 still operate?
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