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Inclusive Design of Bus Rapid Transit: Experience From Latin America

This document discusses inclusive design considerations for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems based on experiences in Latin America. It summarizes several existing BRT systems and ones currently being implemented, highlighting features like dedicated busways, high-level platforms, and fare prepayment. For the new BRT system in Lima, Peru, the document outlines plans to rebuild stations in the median of the busway and add elevators for accessibility. It emphasizes that inclusive design elements can be incorporated without large cost increases and improve safety, security, and public image. Specific accessibility features are recommended for bus stops, terminals, vehicles, and operations.

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Hemant Chauhan
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140 views27 pages

Inclusive Design of Bus Rapid Transit: Experience From Latin America

This document discusses inclusive design considerations for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems based on experiences in Latin America. It summarizes several existing BRT systems and ones currently being implemented, highlighting features like dedicated busways, high-level platforms, and fare prepayment. For the new BRT system in Lima, Peru, the document outlines plans to rebuild stations in the median of the busway and add elevators for accessibility. It emphasizes that inclusive design elements can be incorporated without large cost increases and improve safety, security, and public image. Specific accessibility features are recommended for bus stops, terminals, vehicles, and operations.

Uploaded by

Hemant Chauhan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Inclusive Design of Bus Rapid Transit

Experience from Latin America

Gerhard Menckhoff
World Bank
Outline of Presentation

1 - Bus Rapid Transit in Latin America


2 - The Lima Transport Project
3 - Inclusive Design in BRT Schemes
4 - Conclusions

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 2


1. BRT in Latin America
• Existing Systems
– Curitiba (and other Brazilian cities)
– Quito
– Leon de Guanajuato
– Bogotá
• Systems under Implementation
– Santiago de Chile
– Lima

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 3


Curitiba (Brazil)

• Segregated Busways
– First busway in 1973
– Five busways now, 60 km

• Operational Aspects
– Trunk (bi-articulated buses)
– feeder, express services
– High-level platforms, fare prepayment
Express Bus
Corridor

• Transport - Land Use Coordination


– High-density development along busways
Local Collectors

High Capacity
May, 2005 LCR World Bank One-Way
4
Quito (Ecuador)

• Trolleybus-way (“Trole”)
– Started operation in 1996
– Initial system: 16 km, 32 stations,
– High-level platforms, fare prepayment
– Electric trole through historic city streets

• Ecovías Busway
– Started operation in 2002
– Diesel buses
– high-level left-hand doors
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 5
Leon de Guanajuato

• Started operation in 2003


• 26 km of busway
• 52 stations
• High station platforms
• Fare prepayment
• 120 articulated trunk-line
buses (doors on left)
• 31 feeder routes with 209
conventional buses
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 6
Bogotá

• TransMilenio Phase 1 (1998-2002)


– 41 km of busway, 57 stations and 4 transfer terminals
(connecting with 39 feeder lines)
– 470 articulated trunk-line and 243 feeder-line buses
– Similar to Curitiba, but much higher volumes
• TM Phase 2 (2003-2005)
– 40 km busway, 57 stations, 3 terminals
– 335 trunk-line and 170 feeder line buses
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 7
Santiago de Chile

• Integrated Transport System


- Full-scale reform, to start mid-2005
- Covers 100% of public transport
- Full ticket and fare integration

• Busways
- Alameda and Santa Rosa in 2005
- Other busways in subsequent years
- Some bus lines extend beyond busway
- Low-floor buses, doors on the right

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 8


2. The Lima Transport Project
• Similar concept to Bogotá
• 28.6 km of exclusive busway, 35 stations
• 50 km of feeder bus routes
• construction in 2004-2007
• 519,000 passengers per day (forecast for 2007)
• WB and IDB loans approved in late 2003
• Total investment: US$ 134 million, including complementary
works, goods and services. Overall average cost: US$4.7 million per km of busway

• Subsequent system expansion planned


May, 2005 LCR World Bank 9
The Lima-Callao Metropolitan Area

• Population: 8 million
– 30% of Peru
– Lima 90% - Callao 10%

• Average annual income/capita: US$2600


– Accounts for 50% of Peru’s GDP
– Accounts for 85% of Peru’s tax
collection

• 38% below poverty line


May, 2005 LCR World Bank 10
Traffic Conditions in Lima

• 800,000 motor vehicles – old and polluting


– Approx. 600,000 cars – of which 30% operate as taxis
– 55,000 buses – up from 11,000 in 1990
– 45,000 motorized tricycles

• Public Transport carries 81% of trips

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 11


Existing Public Transport in Lima
- Government bus company dissolved in 1990
Deregulation of bus services resulted in:
- Vastly increased, but dispersed supply
- 82% of passengers enjoy direct connections
- Reduced queues and waiting times
- Oversupply, bus congestion and pollution
- Informality, bad image and high fares

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 12


Existing Busways in Lima

• Vía Expresa
– Started operation in 1972
– 7.5 km, in median of 6-lane motorway
– 8 stops (without passing lanes)
• Additional busways with at-grade intersections
– Total length 9.4 km, mostly four-lane, built in 1986
– Informal buses + minibuses, poor image
• Main lessons
– Bus capacity on Vía Expresa is restricted by layout of bus stops
– Informal bus operation limits potential benefits
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 13
Lima Transport Project components
• Construction of a transport corridor (28.6 km), including busway
and improvements to the adjacent traffic and pedestrian facilities
• Construction of bus stations, transfer terminals, and bus depots
• Paving and other improvements to bus feeder roads in poor areas
• Improvements to pedestrian and vehicle circulation in central Lima
• Recovery of public space and other improvements for pedestrians
and cyclists
• Restructuring bus service supply
• Outreach and social action program
• Air quality monitoring: Stage 1
• Traffic safety program
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 14
Access to Vía Expresa
Busway in Lima • Stations will be rebuilt
(median instead of on two
sides). Extra bus passing
lanes will be added
• Elevators will be added for
passengers with disabilities

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 15


3. Inclusive Design in BRT Systems
• Investment and operating costs – must be kept low
- extra infrastructure costs borne by (financially constrained) Government
- extra bus costs are ultimately borne by (generally poor) passengers
• Many aspects do not cost more
- Colour schemes of stops and buses
- Clear, well lit, colour coded signs
- Space for wheelchair passage
- Often: ramps instead of steps
• Many are important for safety, security and image
- At stops and terminals: illumination, benches, cleanliness, assistants
- In bus: illumination, driver actions, seats for infirm (considerate behavior)
- Approaching bus stop: raised crosswalks, sidewalk ramps, illumination
- Improved enforcement reduces petty crime and vulnerability
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 16
Design Elements to be Specified for Buses

Assist the mobility impaired


- Carefully consider platform connection (transition plate: yes or no?)
- At least one wheelchair space with fastening device on each bus
- Signs reserving seats for pregnant women, the elderly and infirm

Assist the sight impaired


- Contrasting colour schemes for stanchions, holding bars, doors
- Consider lit signs to indicate next station
- Consider public address system to announce next station
- Specify good lighting in busses and at stops

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 17


With or without Transition Plate? (1)
facilitates boarding for all passengers

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 18


With or Without
Transition Plate? (2)
… it is possible to manage without

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 19


Design Elements
for Buses (3)

Assist the mobility impaired


- Carefully consider platform connection (transition plate: yes or no?)
- Space with fastening device for at least one wheelchair per bus
- Signs reserving seats for pregnant women, the elderly and infirm

Assist the sight impaired


- Contrasting color schemes for stanchions, holding bars, doors
- Consider lit signs to indicate next station
- Consider public address system to announce next station
- Specify good lighting in busses and at stops

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 20


Design Elements for Bus Stops and Terminals
• Passenger Platforms (planned to be high level)
- Bright and vandal-proof illumination, contrasting color schemes
- Station names should be easily visible from inside the buses
- Clear and simple signs to easily identify different bus services
- Tactile strips ahead of platform edge for the visually impaired
- Include at least one bench on each platform
• Access
- Raised crosswalks (camellones) to reach bus stops
- On feeder roads, include camellones or (depressed) sidewalk ramps
- Avoid steps wherever possible
- Where stairs are unavoidable, provide at least one ramp access
- Wheelchair lifts only in exceptional situations
- At least one turnstile per entrance must permit wheelchair entry
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 21
Access to Bus Stops in Bogotá

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 22


Practices to be Specified for Bus Operation

Operation of Stops and Terminals


- Uniformed assistants in each stop (model: misión Bogotá)
- Keep stops clean, well-lit and repair damage immediately

Operation of Buses
- Set criteria for drivers (acceleration, breaking, curves)
- Announce route, direction and next station
- Foster cultural change - encourage passengers to behave considerately
- Keep buses clean and well-lit
- Training module for bus drivers and other operations staff - raising
awareness of constraints faced by disabled passengers

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 23


Bus Stop Assistants in Bogotá

trained
assistants at
stops can do
much to
improve
access

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 24


4. Conclusions
• Bus Rapid Transit is becoming established technology in large
Latin-American cities - some planning in Asia and Africa
• Objectives for BRT usually include:
– independent from growing traffic congestion
– reform and modern management result in better services and fewer buses
– better services attract more passengers, incl. potential car users
– fewer and newer buses result in less air pollution
– investment and operation is usually less costly than metro or LRT
• BRT also provides new opportunities for inclusive transport
– Recent BRT systems have incorporated inclusive design principles
– Important aspect to also consider: Access to BRT stations

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 25


Access to BRT Stations
• Feeder services (bus, taxi, three-wheelers)
• Pedestrian mobility to BRT stations Æ
Æ Æ Æ ensure traffic safety and personal security

• Pedestrian access must be well designed on


the approaches to BRT stations:
– unobstructed and level layout of footways and sidewalks
– ramps (instead of curbs) at street crossings
– adequate sidewalk maintenance
– sidewalks free from trash and parked vehicles
May, 2005 LCR World Bank 26
Sidewalks are critical
3 horrors ...

and 1 model

May, 2005 LCR World Bank 27

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