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Birmingham Rapid Transit buses bring speedy travel to The Magic City
ByLibby Foster
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A bus running every 15 minutes? This may sound like a fantasy, but it’s coming to Birmingham in less than a year. The City of Birmingham is partnering up with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) to bring the Birmingham Rapid Transit system to life. Keep reading to learn more.
Faster buses for a better city
A big orange bus is about to make travel faster in The Magic City. The City of Birmingham is beginning a new partnership with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) to build 11 express buses that will run quickly from Woodlawn to Five Points West.
Birmingham received a $40M federal grant to fund the project. The city is matching this $40M to create 11 high-tech buses, 32 bus shelters and two bus hubs.
Each bus will come equipped with USB charging stations and WiFi. The buses are also able to change stoplights to green at major intersections, reducing passengers’ total travel time.
Zooming through Birmingham
The new Birmingham Rapid Transit System will travel throughout the city of Birmingham. It will start at a bus hub in Woodlawn and end at a hub in Five Points West. Along the way, it will make 32 stops and go through areas like:
- First Avenue North
- 6th Avenue by UAB
- Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
- Avenue W near Five Points West
City Councilor Steven Hoyt chairs Birmingham’s transportation committee. He expects that the Rapid Transit System will be open before The World Games in 2022.
More than anything, he wants to improve Birmingham’s public transportation infrastructure with the project.
“The transit system as it is now has a reputation of not showing up on time. I think if people know that they can plan their day by getting on a bus to get to and from their job, it would increase the ridership of those buses.”
City Councilor Steven Hoyt
Sounds like Birmingham’s bus system is about to get a major glow-up. I can’t wait to ride the Rapid Transit system in style!
What do you think of Birmingham’s bus system? Tag @bhamnow and let us know.
