Pierce Transit unveils Bus Rapid Transit virtual open house

Pierce Transit is planning a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along a 14.4-mile portion of Pacific Avenue/SR-7 between downtown Tacoma and Spanaway. The corridor is currently served by Pierce Transitâ€™s Route 1, which has the agencyâ€™s highest ridership.

The project is now at 30 percent design, and the agency had planned in-person open houses to share information with the public and seek feedback. Because of social distancing requirements, Pierce Transit has produced an online open house, to be followed by in-person open houses once they are again permissible. People interested in the BRT project are invited to participate in the online open house by visiting RideBRT.com.

Among other topics, the Pierce Transit BRT virtual open house covers:

Background and information about the Bus Rapid Transit project
An interactive map with details about key connection points along the route and project improvements
Project timelines
Coordination of potential purchases of strips of land along the corridor
Station design concepts, with a feedback tool
The environmental review process

BRT systems are designed to carry larger numbers of riders with greater speed, reliability and frequency than a standard fixed-route bus. BRT stations have additional amenities, such as real-time arrival information; off-board fare collection, raised platforms and multiple doors for faster boarding; transit signal prioritization for faster travel times through congested intersections; and unique, branded vehicles that carry more passengers, have room for bicycles onboard and provide easier wheelchair access.

The public can learn more about the Bus Rapid Transit project at RideBRT.com. They may also sign up to receive email updates by visiting PierceTransit.org/StayConnected, entering their email address, and selecting the â€œBus Rapid Transit (BRT) Projectâ€ topic. Questions and comments may be emailed to brt@piercetransit.org.

There is already $90 million committed to the Pierce Transit BRT project, including $60 million from Sound Transit 3, plus state funding and other grants. Pierce Transit has applied for federal funding to cover the remaining costs of the $150 million project. If fully funded, service could get underway as early as 2023.

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To create a trip plan you need to enter both a starting location (origin) and an ending location (destination). For information about stops, schedules, or service at a specific location, you only need to enter one location.

The Trip Planner recognizes most street intersections and addresses as well as many landmarks in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. If what you entered is not immediately recognized, the Trip Planner will offer you a list of options. You can choose one of the options, but if your intended location is not there, select the "Revise Original Entries" link to return to the entry page and change the entries you have already made.

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You don't need to type in the city. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type Conifer & Jones instead of Conifer Circle & Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 3rd & Main instead of 3rd S & S Main. But type 34th & West Viewmont for 34th W & West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby intersection or a landmark.

Landmarks

Government Sites: Pierce County Health Dept, Pierce Co Sheriffs Office, Tacoma City Hall

Major Commercial Sites: Tacoma Mall, Sheraton Hotel

Transportation Facilities: Sea-Tac Airport, Greyhound Bus Depot

Schools & Colleges: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Community College

Sports & Leisure: Cheney Stadium, Pt Defiance Zoo

Medical Facilities: Group Health, Tacoma General Hospital