From
http://viabrt.net/Documents/DraftEA/...%20Summary.pdf
This Environmental Assessment (EA) discusses the environmental effects of constructing and operating VIA Metropolitan Transit’s (VIA) proposed VIA Primo - Fredericksburg Road Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project (hereafter referred to as the proposed VIA Primo) in San Antonio, Texas.
This corridor is approximately nine miles long and extends from the South Texas Medical Center, southeast to the west side of downtown San Antonio via Fredericksburg Road and Interstate Highway (IH)-10.
The purpose of the proposed VIA Primo is to improve bus travel time reliability and efficiency,improve mobility for the large transit-dependent population, and expand transit capacity. The VIA Primo Corridor is a highly used transit corridor. Forty-six bus routes intersect the VIA Primo Study Area, and
the total existing ridership of these routes exceeds 60 percent of VIA total system-wide ridership. However, these routes have the slowest travel times and poorest reliability in terms of on-time performance in the entire VIA system, and these travel times are expected to worsen. Implementation of the proposed VIA Primo would increase the average speed of buses from 10-12 mph to 15 mph and decrease bus travel time by approximately 30 percent.
VIA Primo would include the construction of the STMCTC, the eight proposed VIA Primo stations, and the WSMMTC within the VIA Primo Study Area.
Proposed VIA Primo Stations
Station 1: University Hospital – Medical Drive near Wurzbach Road
Station 2: Ewing Halsell Drive – Medical Drive at Ewing Halsell Drive
Station 3: Callaghan Road – Fredericksburg Road at Callaghan Road
Station 4: Crossroads Boulevard – Fredericksburg Road at Crossroads Boulevard
Station 5: De Chantle Road – Fredericksburg Road at De Chantle Road
Station 6: Babcock Road – Fredericksburg Road at Babcock Road
Station 7: Mary Louise Drive – Fredericksburg Road at Mary Louise Drive
Station 8: Huisache Avenue – Fredericksburg Road at Huisache Avenue
Construction of the proposed VIA Primo is tentatively scheduled to take place between 2010 and 2012, with regular operation of the new VIA Primo anticipated to begin by late 2012. Based on the proposed construction schedule, VIA estimates that the capital cost for the proposed VIA Primo would be approximately $57.2 million. This estimate includes the cost to design and
construct eight VIA Primo stations and two transit centers and purchase VIA Primo vehicles. The funding strategy includes a mix of Federal and local funds. FTA contribution would be $45.76 million and VIA contribution would be $11.44 million.
My thoughts:
(1) Two transit centers and eight stations along the nine mile Primo BRT route averages a bus stop-station every mile or so, instead of every few blocks that exists today. Will passengers be willing to walk the longer distances to reach the stations?
(2) The EIS didn't include a streetcar alternate. With 60% of all of VIA's riders coming from this corridor, one wonders why streetcars or light rail weren't even considered?