Growing BRT with Your Super Team People are headed back to the cities, transforming and developing neighborhoods. But that growth in city living is also congesting streets and stifling the development anticipated through this urban revitalization. Cities want transit, but they can often not afford the cost of heavy or light rail solutions. BRT (bus rapid transit) can be a solution, but it can be a hard sell to business leaders, the community, and even the project team. What are the political challenges? How can you win over opponents and apathetic communities? Hear how political, business and community collaborations and partnerships have led to successful -- and some not-so-successful -- BRT projects in Chicago, San Francisco, Fresno, Los Angeles, Eugene and Grand Rapids. Moderator: Marsha J Kaiser, AICP, Managing Principal, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Washington, DC Peter Skosey, Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Planning Council, Chicago, Illinois Joel Ramos, Regional Planning Director, TransForm, Oakland, California Conrad Venema, Strategic Planning Manager, The Rapid, Grand Rapids, Michigan Kari Turner, Associate, PIVOT Architecture, Eugene, Oregon Sean Libberton, Principal, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Washington, DC

1. Design Solutions Team
Kari Turner, AIA
September 2014

2. The Team
• Civil Engineer
• Transit Planner
• Architect
• Landscape Architect
• Traffic Engineer
• Environmental Consultant
• Public Outreach Lead
• Real Estate Analyst
• Transit Agency
• City Planner
Design Solutions Team – Superhero Problem Solvers

3. The Process
• Meet with Property
Owners
• Brainstorm alternatives
• Draw multiple options
• Review with Jurisdictional
partners
• Take design back to the
property owners
Design Solutions Team – Superhero Problem Solvers

4. Example workshop drawing
Design Solutions Team – Superhero Problem Solvers

5. The Successes
• Property Owners and City
included in the process
• Reduced total property
acquisition and impacts
• Eliminated 2 full acquisitions
• 117 to 93 properties
• 3.2 acres to 2.7 acres
• Reduced impacts to parking
• Relocated terminus stations to
more prominent location
• Preserved core elements of BRT
Example refined concept drawing
Design Solutions Team – Superhero Problem Solvers