Passengers wait to board a bus at the Ronstadt Transit Center in downtown Tucson. Rides have been free since March 2020.
The City of Tucson is receiving public comment on two proposed locations for the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit line, or BRT.
The bus line will span five miles from the Tohono T'adai Transit Center to downtown on either Stone Avenue or Oracle Road. It’s also the first segment in a larger, 15 mile high-capacity transit corridor project that will eventually extend to the Tucson Airport.
Public comment on the north segment is open until Dec. 1 on the Tucson Rapid Transit Website.
The first north segment is estimated to cost $140 million, to be completed in the next three to seven years. The project website said the City is applying for a Capital Investment Grant from the Federal Transit Administration to cover half the cost. The remaining 50% would come from local taxes.
Bus Rapid Transit, according to the Federal Transit Administration, is a type of high-quality bus system that is designed to be faster and better for the environment.
The city says that certain traffic priorities and a designated bus lane will ensure the Bus Rapid Transit line is 25% faster than regular bus systems, and will also be able to transport up to 150 passengers every 10 minutes.
Additional information as well as the survey link is available on the project's website.
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