Five Bus Rapid Transit Megaprojects in the US Scheduled for 2024

The transit market continues to evolve as transportation agencies replace and upgrade aging infrastructure and develop new projects to improve mobility and reduce congestion. 

As this audience is well aware, there has  been a substantial influx of funding supporting this market:

• The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) allocates up to $108 billion for transit programs from 2022 to 2026. This includes $39.2 billion for capital investment grants, $47.2 billion for formula grants, and $8 billion for bus and bus facilities grants.
  
  
• The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) also supports the transit industry with various funds and tax credits. These include $27 billion for a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, $3.2 billion for Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants, and $2 billion for Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants. These funds and grants aim to reduce carbon emissions from transportation sources between 2023 and 2027.

Figure: Locations of five BRT megaprojects in the U.S. scheduled for 2024. Source: FirmoGraphs Transit Mart

FirmoGraphs tracks infrastructure projects from the beginning, starting from the concept phase and following through until they reach commercial operations. This information is managed in a centralized database and presented through interactive dashboards and maps. FirmoGraphs offers valuable business intelligence to interested parties, including U.S. infrastructure contractors, developers, and engineers, to stay ahead of the bidding competition.

Five Large Transit Projects

FirmoGraphs analyzed 1000s capital improvement plans and selected five bus rapid transit (BRT) megaprojects developed by five transportation agencies in diverse geographical areas.

Beach Corridor (Smart Plan)

The Beach Corridor is a planned BRT route in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and a part of the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program. It aims to connect the Miami Design District/Midtown area with Downtown Miami and Miami Beach, spanning roughly 10 miles. The project is currently undergoing a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study, which evaluates four alternatives: Automated Guideway Transit (AGT), Light Rail Transit (LRT), BRT, and pedestrian and bicycle improvements. The final decision on the chosen mode and alignment is expected in 2024 or 2025. The county has directed $910 million toward the project in the 2024-2029 capital spending.

Clifton Corridor

The Clifton Corridor is a proposed transit line connecting the Lindbergh Center and Avondale stations, passing through major employment and institutional centers in the Atlanta region. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is currently performing a multi-stage alternatives analysis, including BRT and Arterial Rapid Transit (ART). The final decision is expected in 2024. MARTA has slated $595 million in its 2024-2033 capital improvement plan toward the corridor.

Murfreesboro Pike - Bus Rapid Transit Project

The Murfreesboro Pike BRT is a proposed project to improve mobility and accessibility along the Murfreesboro Pike corridor, which connects downtown Nashville to the Nashville International Airport and the southeast suburbs. The project is currently in the design phase and involves creating a dedicated bus lane, installing new bus stations and shelters, upgrading traffic signals and intersections, and enhancing pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee, is developing the project with a cost of more than $413 million in the 2024-2029 capital spending cycle and is expected to commence in 2024.

Division Street BRT

Spokane Transit Authority, Washington, is developing the Division Street BRT connecting I-90 in downtown Spokane to Mead in northern Spokane County, spanning ten miles. The project aims to convert the existing Route 25 bus service, which carries nearly one million passengers annually, into a faster, more reliable zero-emission bus service with distinct stations and dedicated transit lanes. The project is currently in the design phase. Spokane Transit has dedicated approximately $169 million to the project in its 2024-2029 capital improvement plan.

North-South Bus Rapid Transit

The city of Madison, Wisconsin, is building the North-South BRT Line, a 15-mile initiative running from the north side of Madison, through the downtown and University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) campus area, to the south side of Madison, and ends in Fitchburg. A significant portion of the 3.5-mile guideway will be shared with the East-West BRT currently under construction, covering downtown Madison, the UW Campus, and isthmus areas. The line will serve 33 stations, of which 24 will be constructed through the North-South BRT. The project is currently in the design phase and is expected to cost approximately $144 million in capital spending spanning 2024-2029.

How FirmoGraphs Can Help

FirmoGraphs curates and maintains a database of municipal, state, and federal Capital Improvement Plans containing 100,000s of projects. These projects are categorized by region, business area, and phase, making it easy for engineering and construction professionals to find projects early, which they can add to their business development pipeline. Feel free to request a discovery meeting to view our database live in our business intelligence tool.