Going Hollywood: How Cities Are Using Los Angeles as a Model of Incremental BRT Development

This article presents a detailed discussion of how the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority (Metro) developed a successful and growing bus rapid transit (BRT) system by adopting an incremental approach and without risking large amounts of capital investment. After examining the Curitiba (Brazil’s BRT system), Los Angeles officials gave the go-ahead in 2000 for development of two demonstration lines that cost $14 million in re-programmed capital funds. Within a short time, transit ridership increased by more than 45 percent. The metro board then voted to expand the system to a 28-route network comprising 450 miles. The author describes why the program has been so successful, which characteristics of BRT, such as branding buses and bus stops, increased ridership, the development of its Orange Line, and why the incremental approach worked best.