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BRTS – Certainly Possible & Can be Seamlessly Integrated too !

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Written By Naveen - 6 May, 2008

BMIC Traffic Bangalore CTTP BETL CDP BMTC BMLTA BRTS Analysis

Planning BRT Corridors along narrower /congested roads & areas can be done by using up only one lane about 12-ft wide for one-way flows whilst using a similar lane on a different road for the return journey. This also has the advantage of wider coverage thrown in for the benefit of commuters. On wider roads, Syamese-twin pairs of bus-ways can be planned with overtaking facility at some bus stops for express /skip-stop services (20 ft width corridor would be required at bus stops for this, but they can be staggered on up & down directions to prevent 40’ width of the road at any given point from being used up).

At signals & intersections, narrow underpasses could be used exclusively to allow for through passage of buses as mentioned in previous threads. If underpasses are not feasible at some locations, narrow one-way 16-ft wide overpasses will need to be built to facilitate BRT routing. All road infrastructure developments must focus on priority bus routing options rather than cater to & promote private vehicle usage.

Five possible routes are mentioned below – more can be added, but many will have to be single lane & /or circular routes since road widths may be insufficient : 1.
Domlur-Koramangala- Electronic City /EC (along 100-ft rd, IRR, Hosur rd).
  – Integrates at Domlur with proposed ph-2 Metro (Indiranagar to Whitefield), runs parallel with proposed ph-2 Metro on Hosur road (EC to Yelahanka), & also integrates with Route-2 below at Domlur.

This twin-lane route can be bifurcated whilst passing through Koramanagala, & rejoined on Hosur road at Silkboard junction.Whilst south-bound, the route can use one lane on the left along Koramangala 80-ft rd (from Sonyworld at IRR-80-ft rd junction), proceed on Sarjapur rd, turn right at Agara lake & use ORR to rejoin Hosur rd at Silkboard. On return to Indiranagar, the route can turn right on to Koramangala 100-ft rd from Hosur rd & use one lane of the road on 100-ft rd upto 80-ft peripheral rd at Sonyworld to rejoin the other BRT lane on IRR. This will provide coverage to HSR along ring road & also to inner parts of Koramangala.

If a commuter wishes to proceed to Domlur from Sarjapur road, he could do it by taking the south bound bus & changing over to a north-bound bus at Silkboard – there will be a slight delay, but it would be minimal since buses would run faster with priority corridors.
2.
Richmod Circle-Domlur (along Richmond rd, Victoria rd & Airport rd).
  – Integrates with Route-1 above at Domlur, Metro (ph-1) at Trinity, Metro ph-2 (EC to Yelahanka) at Vellara Junction near Shoolay, Metro ph-2 (Indiranagar to Whitefield) at Domlur, & also with LRT /Mono, if the extension is planned /provided at Richmond circle.

This twin-lane route will need to be bifurcated at Richmond road-Victoria rd junction & rejoined at Victoria rd-Airport rd junction (near battle tank).

When east bound, this route can go along Richmond rd till almost Trinity junction, turn right on to trinity church road through defense areas, turn left & continue on airport road till Domlur. When west bound, branch off to Victoria rd near battle tank & rejoin other lane at Lifestyle. Thus, it will use only one lane on Richmond road past Lifestyle up to Trinity, Trinity church road & on Victoria road.
3.
Hudson Circle – KG Circle – KG Bus station – Railway station – Anand Rao circle – Seshadri Rd – KR Circle – Nrupathunga Rd – Hudson circle.
  – Integrates with Metro (ph-1) at KG Bus station & at Mysore Bank & with Mono /LRT at Hudson (if extension planned /provided).

This is a circular route & will use up only one lane on all the roads mentioned. At worst, a commuter may need to spend a few minutes longer if his destination is closer in the opposite direction of the route.
4.
Magadi Rd-Dr.Rajkumar rd junction – Northwards all along Dr.Rajkumar rd – Soap Factory – CV Raman rd (through IISC) – Sampige rd – Swastik – Platform rd – Magadi Rd back to Dr.Rajkumar rd-Magadi rd junction.
  – Integrates with Metro (ph-1) at Dr.Rajkumar rd-Magadi rd junction, Metro (ph-1) at Soap factory & Metro (ph-1) midway at Maharishi Kuvempu rd stn & at Swastik stn.

This is a another circular route aimed to service parts of Rajajinagar & Malleswaram that are not close to the Metro ph-1 route & will use up only one lane on Dr.Rajkumar rd, CV Raman rd, Sampige rd, Platform rd & Magadi rd. The Metro corridor provides inter-connectivity midway + Metro integration will be available at both ends.
5.
National College flyover /circle – Vanivilas road – Vasavi Temple rd – Pass adjacent KR park on the east side – turn right at Gunasheela nursing home – turn left on to Kanakapura road – to Banashankari temple /bus station. When north bound, proceeds along Kanakapura rd for a short distance & then along KR Road throughout (parallel & close to Kanakapura rd), past Gandhi bazaar back to National college.
  – Integrates with Metro (ph-1) & Mono /LRT at National College & with Metro (ph-1) at Banashankari bus station.

This is a circular route for most part (with corridors close to one another) & is aimed to provide service for Basavangudi & Banashankari areas not serviced by Metro. Metro will be available at both ends.
Priority for buses & BRT now does seem more & more of a necessity with each passing day in the city & needs to be considered foremost. Providing priority of passage for buses appears to be the only way to put an end to the relentless increase in personal modes for mobility with increased traffic volumes.

The CTTP report has recommended 14 BRT corridors (click the link above to see CTTP recommended BRT map) – most of these are outside ORR. This will not address the problems – more coverage within ORR is necessary if private vehicle usage is to be restrained within the city.

To be successful & effective, the corridors must not be discontinuous & must provide interfaces with Metro & other modes of rapid transit/s to make the whole travel package faster, reliable & efficient. If they do not provide options for onward journeys, there will be few takers, not serve the purpose & will fail financially.

The CTTP report has not considered the SE quadrant of the Core area, though this had previously been considered for the ELRTS project that had been abandoned. The Mono /LRT recommended from Kathriguppe to National College needs to be extended to pass through JC Rd, RRM Rd & Residency Rd to integrate with the Metro Ph-2 corridor at Rex Cinema This will provide far more convenient options & help greatly.

Check this link: http://bangalore.praja.in/part-iii-south-east-cbd-areas-not-connected.

COMMENTS

Grade separated ROW?

idontspam - 12 August, 2010 - 13:55

Good time to renew this topic. Lot of good thoughts from quite some time ago. There might be a case for exploiting the airspace above all major roads to separate public transport systems like bus & train to the elevated structures and leave the surface for Private transport & feeders. 

Xiamen has an EBRTS the complete set of pictures is here

EBRTS PPHPD ranges from 5000 to 10000 depending, I guess, on the type & length of buses. Cost works approximately 40 crores per KM.

Is grade separation the only way to ensure right of way for mass transit in India? WIll EBRTS work for Big 10 & Big circle type trunk routes?

A good start will be to convert BETL into an EBRT. Extend it along Madiwala, IRR, and run along the metro pillars past CMH road to terminate at Byappanahalli metro. This route would be the same as option 1 of Naveens in the main post above. A ramp for the Big 10 & others from CBD will allow all buses from city also to get on to the bus way and go to EC/beyond. What say? The catchment is interesting Electronic City, Koramangala, EGL, Indiranagar, Airport road, OMR

Widening for PT

idontspam - 13 August, 2010 - 06:07

Road widening is not to encourage movement of private vehicles. "To make way for public transport, we're widening roads, including the 216 roads where BMTC and other buses ply."

Source

Admirable intents but maybe elevated right of way for buses will utilize the airspace above roads and prevent destruction of property. Having said that, trunk routes may be more appropriate for elevation and not all roads. I hope all possible options are considered and tried.

ROW issues

idontspam - 13 August, 2010 - 17:30

 There are so many wide roads in Cantonment and Cubbon park area to test this.

There are challenges other than width of the road which reduce the effectiveness drastically. Today elevated roads are being formed around the city to overcome those problems. BETL, Tumkur road, now Bellary road. Elevated ROW is being contemplated even inside the city. Why not look at these elevated structures for PT instead of  for private vehicles?

BRT infrastructure must be exclusive

Naveen - 14 August, 2010 - 04:25

Elevated ROW is being contemplated even inside the city. Why not look at these elevated structures for PT instead of  for private vehicles?

Absolutely. The city is already beginning to resemble bangkok with ugly elevated highways in the outskirts. The ruling class keeps making promises of road infrastructure additions for PT whilst also allowing private vehicles. Such policies will never convert commuter habits to switch over to PTs & put a halt to increasing congestion & pollution.

Exclusivity for PT is the key here, really, which none of the babus ever will (or want to) recognize.

We should start BRT somewhere in Bangalore,Reluctance should end

Vasanth - 13 August, 2010 - 17:15

 BRT in Bangalore needs to be started atleast on a small stretch as a pilot probably with Janmarg consultants just like how we have DMRC as consultant for BMRCL.

There are so many wide roads in Cantonment and Cubbon park area to test this.

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