On April 19, the TPB—in conjunction with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA or Metro)—hosted an information and discussion session on improving bus transit service and availability in the region. A variety of planned projects, strategic plans, and studies were shared with a focus on WMATA’s Better Bus initiative. The Better Bus initiative includes a network redesign, facilities modernization, transition to a zero-emissions fleet, bus prioritization, and other elements that support the region’s climate, equity, and sustainability goals.
Regional Initiatives
Allan Fye, NVTC Director of Programs and Policy, presented on NVTC’s Regional Bus Analysis. Northern Virginia has seven bus operators offering 249 service routes. The study highlights regional opportunities for collaboration and efficiency by examining near-term financial needs for operating service and capital improvements, service performance, and planned improvements. Along with these short-term considerations, the analysis looks at potential service gaps over the next ten years, corridors for high-capacity corridors, cross-jurisdictional service, and opportunities for shared infrastructure in the face of changing technology and financial constraints.
NVTC’s regional initiatives intersect with Better Bus as WMATA shares service areas with Northern Virginia transit operators. As noted earlier, Better Bus is a comprehensive review of Metrobus service in the region, including the first network redesign effort in the fifty years of Metrobus’ history as well as bus stop and shelter improvements, priority lanes and signals, facilities modernization, zero-emissions vehicles, and enhanced customer information. The network redesign is one of several parallel transit planning and restructuring efforts in the region along with Montgomery County’s Ride On Reimagined, OmniRide’s Eastern Service Restructure, and the City and County of Frederick TransIT restructuring.
During the April work session, WMATA staff presented on three key topics:
- Bus Priority and Bus Lanes
- Bus Stop and Shelter Improvements
- Zero Emission Buses
Each presentation was framed around the following four questions: (1) What is the infrastructure or bus service problem being addressed, (2) What action is WMATA currently taking, (3) What are the challenges and barriers to success, and (4) What can the TPB/TPB members do to help.
Highlights from the key topic presentations and Q&A follow.
Bus Priority
Raka Choudhury, WMATA Director of Bus Priority, presented on bus priority and priority treatments. The current average Metrobus speed is 9.8 miles per hour. To improve speeds, minimize the effects of traffic congestion, and maintain reliable service for riders, WMATA is coordinating with local jurisdictions to establish dedicated, red painted bus lanes. Initial tactical bus lanes are proposed for Georgia Avenue in Montgomery County and Silver Hill Road in Prince George’s County.
Enforcing restricted access to bus lanes is a challenge due to confusion around parking restrictions and demand for curb access by shared ride and delivery vehicles. New York and San Francisco have taken action through automated enforcement, and WMATA is working toward installing cameras on buses that would identify vehicle violations.
WMATA staff identified ways that TPB could support bus priority initiatives through jurisdictional collaboration to enable longer, continuous segments for bus priority lanes, setting regional minimums for bus lanes (e.g., red paint, peak-period directional movement, and signage), initiating automated enforcement, sharing costs of the red paint used to designate the lanes, and raising awareness of the number of people who can be moved per hour with dedicated bus lanes.
Bus Stop and Shelter Improvements
Leroy Jones, WMATA Senior Vice President of Bus Services, provided an overview of WMATA’s efforts to address customer needs around the areas of shelter, sidewalks, seating, lighting, signs, and schedule information. WMATA serves over 11,000 bus stops. According to WMATA’s FY 2021 data, 57 percent of customers live in zero car households, 50 percent of riders have low incomes, and 84 percent are people of color. A lack of seating and other amenities at bus stops creates accessibility and equity barriers.
Based on customer feedback, WMATA has instituted a Bus Stop Shelter Program. The program allocates funding for 75 temporary shelters to improve shelters beyond repair and replacement of 262 permanent shelters. WMATA is also working with CUE in Fairfax and DDOT to implement pilot seating options.
WMATA staff recommended the following ways that TPB could support this effort: (1) Develop bus stop standards for the region that have a defined level of seating, type of cover, and minimum information available at a stop, (2) adopt and implement standards, promoting those standards, and streamlining implementation of the pilot seating, and (3) identify funding opportunities to support stop improvements.
(WMATA)
Zero Emission Buses
Amy Mesrobian, WMATA Director Zero-Emission Vehicles, reported that WMATA is committed to transitioning to a 100 percent zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet by 2045. This process involves utility grid upgrades, constructing and installing charging infrastructure at nine Metrobus garages, and transitioning nearly 1,600 buses for electric battery charging while investigating hydrogen fuel cell technology for the future. Technology implementation requires workforce training, funding to procure buses and make system upgrades, and continuous assessment of changing zero-emissions technology.
WMATA is currently planning and designing the Northern and Bladensburg bus garages to support ZEB and are in the planning stages to prepare the Western and Cinder Bed facilities for ZEBs.
The first phase of WMATA’s ZEB deployment includes deploying 12 battery-electric buses and launching overhead pantograph charging at the Shepherd Parkway garage in Southwest DC. The Shepherd Parkway launch provides an opportunity to learn what it is needed moving forward for technology transition and training. During this time, WMATA has developed a ZEB Transition Plan that is aimed at full conversion of the fleet by 2042. Related to the plan, a ZEB Regional Coordination group is in place to identify shared areas of coordination that are a priority for the region as the transition takes place.
Top recommendations for TPB support include identifying resilience options and back-up strategies in case there is an electricity disruption. Another area is workforce development and training that could be coordinated among the region’s jurisdictions, and first responder training on how to interact with ZEBs in emergency situations.
Questions & Answers
District of Columbia Councilmember Charles Allen asked WMATA staff for recommendations on local jurisdictional actions that could support the bus network at a regional level.
Raka Choudhury and Allison Davis, WMATA Vice President of Planning, addressed the question by recommending finding opportunities to add tactical bus lanes in short segments by moving quickly when opportunities arise. The H and I Street NW corridors in DC were provided as examples of extending the bus lane network in small increments. Automated camera enforcement and enforcement support are priorities. In addition, Montgomery County is conducting a land repurposing study, which other jurisdictions could consider as a way to identify how existing infrastructure and right-of-way could be adapted for bus lanes or bus priority corridors.
Kanti Srikanth, COG Deputy Executive Director for Metropolitan Planning, commented that the TPB has conducted a best practices study on bus lane enforcement and a study on shared procurement and facilities. Links to both studies are available below.
Takis Karantonis, Arlington County Board Member, asked about considerations around informing users of other modes that buses have priority on certain corridors. With this information, travelers may consider other corridors or modes for their travel if they are not riding on the bus. Srikanth noted that there is a regional study (link below) that identified priority corridors that are most suitable for priority treatments.
City of Frederick Alderman Kelly Russell asked whether there are tips for working with private landowners who may not want stops or shelters on their right-of-way or if there are ways to incentivize landowners so that they would be more open to having the stop within their right-of-way. Incentive examples include offering advertising space or compensation.
Leroy Jones recommended speaking with the state DOT as a starting point. Allison Davis asked if there is an opportunity to move the stop to an adjacent location. Kanti Srikanth commented that the TPB could explore if there are best practices around this issue.
Cindy Dyballa, City of Takoma Park Council Member, commented that some landowners have voiced concerns over safety when it comes to shelter placement in more urbanized areas such as Takoma Park. In addition, Dyballa asked how the TPB could bring forward proposed standards for the region. In response, Srikanth said that the bus stops are under the authority of the localities. The TPB members can discuss if there is an interest in regional standards regarding safety considerations, lighting, placement, and amenities.
Takeaways
- The TPB and its member jurisdictions have an important role in supporting more reliable bus service through priority infrastructure and enforcement, accessible bus stops, and growth in the number of climate-friendly zero emission buses serving the region.
- Better bus service is critical for helping the region meet its climate goals. The TPB will continue having committee and board conversations on the topic, will share lessons learned, collaborate with area partners, and support bus service and technology best practices.
- The TPB will support access to transit through Transportation Land-Use Connections Program technical assistance funding. In addition, funding has been set aside for a study on local bus service to and from High Capacity Transit Station Areas as well as a study on ZEB transition.
More Information
A summary memo of the work session will be available on the COG/TPB website. The work session recording and presentations are available on the work session event page.
Additional Resources and Related TPB Studies