HUNTSVILLE — As Huntsville continues to grow, city leadership understands the area’s transportation infrastructure must keep pace with the rise in population.
To that end, the city has accepted a $850,000 pilot program grant from the Federal Transit Authority, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funding will be directed to a study on a bus rapid transit corridor along University Drive.
Specifically, the study will analyze and identify opportunities for increased ridership while making plans for improved transit in three key population nodes along road way: the area in and around the Northwoods community, the planned development at Executive Plaza on the campus of the University of Alabama in Huntsville and MidCity District.
“This grant allows us to plan for future transit and future development in tandem,” said Dennis Madsen, Manager of Urban & Long-Range Planning. “So when we need to expand transit options in the future, the ridership will be there.”
BRT is an advanced bus-based transit system that features dedicated rights-of-way, unique branding and distinctive stations.
It incorporates technological improvements and leverages frequent operations to ensure effectiveness. Because of its reliability, convenience and speed, BRT circumvents common causes of delays experienced by traditional bus services, such as congestion and the need for on-board payment methods.
Spanning nine miles from Providence Main Street to downtown Huntsville, the proposed BRT line would improve accessibility to key employment and activity centers while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Huntsville approved a contract with HDR Engineering to develop the plan.
The study will include extensive public engagement, which is expected to begin in 2025.
