In order to reduce traffic congestion, the Montgomery County Council is considering implementing a new rapid bus system in conjunction with the Department of Transportation. Officials estimate that the project will cost $2 billion, though the cost specifics will depend on how ambitious the system’s design will be.
To cover the cost, the county will likely implement a property tax increase, arguing that other tax increases would not generate enough revenue to cover the cost of the project without risking a downgrade of the county’s credit rating.
Though opponents of the measure have criticized the cost of the system, those in favor argue that an expansion of heavy rail (such as Metrorail) would cost sixteen times as much. Light rail (such as the Purple Line) would cost four times as much. Under some proposed plans, the system would not require expanding existing roadways, which would reduce the cost of the system further.
Bus rapid transit (BRT) systems are distinct from regular city buses in that they are totally separate from regular street traffic. They have been described as a light rail system without roads instead of tracks. The system was pioneered in the Brazilian city of Curitiba in 1974. It is now used by approximately 85 percent of the city’s residents, and has been the inspiration for similar systems worldwide. There will likely be major differences, however, in implementing a BRT system in a suburban county as opposed to a built-up city.
The county’s Department of Transportation found 18 potential BRT routes that could be used if such a system were to be developed. The proposed Route 12 would run from Montgomery Mall to the Bethesda Metrorail Station, and would stop at WJ.
The project has not advanced beyond the planning stages, and these plans may be changed or abandoned all together. As the Montgomery County’s population continues to grow, however, the county will continue to look for ways to accommodate more and more commuters.