User:Central Corridor/VelociRFTA

VelociRFTA (a pun on velocirapter) is a bus rapid transit line in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. The route is operated by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA). The route opened 3 September 2013 and was the first rural bus rapid transit line in the United States.

Route
The northern, or downvalley, terminus is 27th Street Station in Glenwood Springs, located southeast of Glen Avenue (SH 82) and 27th Street. The station is located 1.4 mi away from downtown Glenwood Springs, but direct transfers can be made to Ride Glenwood Springs, Valley Local, and Hogback routes. Buses going in or out of service provides local service at all bus stops between the West Glenwood Springs Park and Ride and 27th Street Station. There are approximately 29 upvalley trips and 39 downvalley trips to/from the Glenwood Park and Ride daily.

From the 27th Street, buses travel south, or upvalley, along SH 82 until Carbondale, where they take a brief turnoff on SH 133 to the Carbondale Station, before returning to SH 82 the same way and continuing upvalley. The route continues along SH 82 with two stations in El Jebel at El Jebel Road and Willits Lane and a station in [{Basalt, Colorado|Basalt]]. At Brush Creek Road, buses turn off of the highway to the Brush Creek Station, where direct transfers can be made to Snowmass Village and Woody Creek services. Service upvalley and connecting routes Snowmass Village and Woody Creek from Brush Creek Station is free.

The route reenters the highway and continues upvalley, entering Aspen with stations at the Aspen Airport Business Center (AABC) and Buttermilk. The route enters downtown Aspen, with local stops at Hallam Street (SH 82) at 8th Street and Garmisch Street at Hopkins Avenue. The line's southern terminus is at Rubey Park Transit Center, a major terminal providing several direct connections to City of Aspen routes. Departing downvalley, buses take Aspen Street to Hallam Street/SH 82, with a stop at Paepcke Park. Buses traveling outbound use dedicated transit lanes on Hallam Street.

On route maps and headsigns the line is known as just BRT.

Transit advantages
https://www.aspendailynews.com/a-faster-velocirfta-bus-rapid-transit-system-is-on-tap/article_8089460c-d079-5bef-b2b1-4780fe5e3ff5.html https://www.dailycamera.com/2013/11/16/the-future-of-bus-rapid-transit-on-us-36-lessons-from-roaring-fork-valley/

Stations
https://www.aspentimes.com/news/restrooms-canned-in-brush-creek-brt-plan/ https://www.aspendailynews.com/news/high-court-denies-rfta-request-for-case-review/article_cadde0f4-952a-11e8-a370-974a990b207a.html https://www.denverpost.com/2013/05/23/dinosaurs-galore-at-roaring-fork-bus-stops/

Background
Initial costs were estimated to be between $180 million and $190 million.

Construction and operations
https://www.aspentimes.com/news/rfta-bus-system-construction-picks-up-the-pace/

Naming and advertising
In 2008 it was announced that RFTA had chosen the name "VelociRFTA" as the name for its new service, created by the marketing firm Project West. The An alternative name considered was "Valley Flyer", but reception was lackluster. https://www.denverpost.com/2013/05/23/dinosaurs-galore-at-roaring-fork-bus-stops/