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Planning commission hears update on Green Line bus rapid transit and locally preferred alternative
Summary
Consultants told the Planning Commission the region’s North–South transit project has shifted from a 2024 light‑rail LPA to an 11.5‑mile bus rapid transit locally preferred alternative adopted June 24 by East West Gateway; staff said the project aims for 30% design and FTA engineering entry within about 12 months.
Acting on an informational item, the Planning Commission on a regularly scheduled meeting heard a presentation on the Green Line North–South corridor and the newly adopted bus rapid transit (BRT) locally preferred alternative (LPA).
Scott Ogilvy, the project presenter, said East West Gateway adopted the BRT route June 24 after the design process showed the previously adopted 5.6‑mile light‑rail plan would cost about $1.1 billion and exceed the city’s fiscal capacity. “By the end of the close to 30% design process the project was going to cost significantly more than previous estimates,” Ogilvy said. The revised LPA is roughly 11.5 miles with 23 station areas and an early ridership estimate of about 1.3 million annual boardings. Ogilvy provided a preliminary capital range of about $360 million to $590 million and described BRT features that aim to deliver light‑rail‑like service: station‑based platforms, off‑board fare payment, level boarding, frequent service and extensive dedicated guideway (center running bus lanes where feasible).
Ogilvy told commissioners the project remains in the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) process and the goal over the next 12 months is to reach a 30% design, complete environmental review, and be ready to enter the FTA’s engineering phase. He said the FTA currently views the work as a continuation of the regional North–South project, now advancing with a different mode.
Commissioners and Alderman Sonier pressed staff on whether implementing BRT would foreclose future light‑rail options. Ogilvy cautioned that retrofitting light rail on top of a BRT investment would be difficult in the near term, but he did not rule it out in a distant future timeframe. He also said transfer arrangements with MetroLink at Civic Center will require passenger circulation between modes, and station and safety design remains to be fleshed out during the next design phase.
Questions from commissioners focused on station design, transit‑oriented development (TOD) opportunities, neighborhood impacts, and how the project will be phased and funded. Ogilvy said neighborhood planning and station‑area design will be part of the upcoming engagement as the project moves into preliminary engineering.
The presentation was informational; no action was required or taken on the LPA at this meeting. Commissioners were advised to expect further, more detailed design and engagement items in future meetings.
