Many urban thoroughfares accommodate public transportation. The types of services accommodated on thoroughfares ranges from local bus service to bus rapid transit (BRT) to trolleys and light rail transit (LRT). These types of transit service can be accommodated either within a dedicated right of way in the thoroughfare or in mixed-flow lanes. In both cases the design of the thoroughfare needs to consider the special requirements of transit vehicles, running ways and operations, whether they exist or are planned for the future. The purpose of this section is to identify the key elements of transit that affect the design of thoroughfares. Detailed design guidance on dedicated transitways, particularly for rail systems, is beyond the scope of this report, but the information presented here can inform the thoroughfare planning and design process.
– From ITE Designing Urban Walkable Thoroughfares
Transit corridors, including light rail (LRT), streetcar, and bus rapid transit (BRT), promote economic development around high-quality transit service while fostering a pedestrian scale in which walking and biking actively complement public transit. As major generators of pedestrian traffic, heavy surface transit routes should be prioritized for pedestrian safety improvements in both the immediate surrounding area and major access routes within the area served by the transit service (transit access shed).
When redesigning streets for high-quality transit service, designers should assess how transit service is impacted not only by the geometry of the corridor, but also its existing signal timing, signal phasing, turns, and other operations that may jeopardize the quality of service.
