...on the Western Slope of Colorado

Sylvia Cranmer, RFTA

 

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) based in Aspen, is in the process of developing and building a BRT system along the Highway 82 corridor, between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. This will be the first rural BRT in the United States, and quite possibly, in the world. VelociRFTA BRT will operate with nine stations throughout the corridor:

Travel time from Glenwood Springs to Aspen is estimated to be 60 minutes, which is competitive with the travel time of a private automobile. The “Rapid” aspect of BRT will be achieved by limited stops and by transit signal priority and intersection queue bypasses in selected locations along Highway 82.

RFTA BRT stations will have a host of amenities, including interactive information kiosks, modern shelters, real-time bus arrival information, and bicycle parking. High platforms at the stations will provide passengers level boarding on to regular low-floor buses with an ultramodern look .Boarding will also be facilitated by easy to access electronic fare boxes. The buses in this BRT system will not run on a fixed guideway, but instead will utilize dedicated travel lanes in various sections of the corridor. Headways will also be more frequent.

Branding

The VelociRFTA logo is based on information received through a survey of selected stakeholders, riders, and potential riders. Survey respondents overwhelmingly indicated a desire for fun, frequency, and convenience. Respondents also felt the RFTA brand has a very positive brand identity and since BRT is simply an improvement on existing service, it should not be branded separately. The VelociRFTA brand conveys the following messages:

• FAST...  The velociraptor was the fastest of the land dinosaurs. Velocity is a measure of speed. Also, "veloce" is the Italian word for "in a rapid manner."
• FUN...  The use of a dinosaur on a bus is attention-grabbing and not the expected choice. The velociraptor is familiar from the movie "Jurassic Park." VelociRFTA embraces the current brand in a humorous way using a paly on words (RFTA/raptor).
• FREQUENT...  VelociRFTA service will have 10 to 15- minute headways for approximately 14 hours per day, as compared to 30-minute headways for existing service.

Public Outreach

In February, RFTA hosted a series of public meetings throughout the corridor. Over 180 attendees signed in to the workshops, and many others stopped by the workshop displays and had the opportunity to get their questions answered directly by RFTA staff and the consulting teams of HNTB and BlueGreen. 42% of all recorded comments—by far the greatest response—focused on the BRT bus shelter design and locations, including

• Safe pedestrian access to BRT stations.
• Use of sustainable materials, design and educational opportunities
• Shelter weatherization and other amenities

This $50 million project is being funded by a combination of a voter approved sales tax as well as a  Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Very Small Starts project grant, which RFTA expects to receive this year.

RFTA is currently soliciting proposals to begin Final Design of the BRT project. Construction of shelters, platforms, roadway modifications and other critical elements will begin in 2011, with construction complete and fully operational by mid-2013.