Description
Implementing transit-supportive roadway treatments improve transit speed and reliability. Curb extensions extend the sidewalk into the shoulder or parking lane, allowing passengers to board without the transit vehicle exiting and reentering back into traffic. Curb extensions can also create additional space for transit shelters and amenities, such as bike parking.
Implementation Details
- Identify transit stops with significant pull-out/merge delays and high ridership as candidates for curb-extensions.
- Align curb extensions with vehicle specifications.
- Focus treatments on arterials in cities where transit demand is already high.
Mitigation Potential
Continued investments in transit will improve travel time, reliability, convenience to make it an attractive option for daily travel. This can encourage more users to shift from Single Occupancy Vehicle, which reduces VMT.
For more details, see CAPCOA, T-27. Implement Transit-Supportive Roadway Treatments, pg. 193-196 and CALTRANS SB743 Program Mitigation Playbook, Transit service improvement, pg. 25-27 for VMT reduction quantification.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Transit-priority improvements should focus on corridors with high ridership potential in disadvantaged communities. Measures such as bus-only lanes and signal priority reduce travel time for transit users, many of whom lack access to a car. Careful community engagement is needed to avoid unintended displacement due to improved access and infrastructure investment.
Funding Sources
Requires initial funding to construct, plus ongoing funding for maintenance and operations. Grants and other one-time sources are available (though competitive), and a new regional transit sales tax may provide additional sources of ongoing funding. Funding sources include the Bus Programs – Buses and Bus Facilities Competitive Grants – Low or No Emissions Bus Grants (Federal Transit Administration), the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program (California Department of Housing and Community Development), the Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (California Department of Housing and Community Development), the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (Caltrans), the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (California Transportation Commission), the Capital Investment Grants– Small Starts, New Starts, and Core Capacity (Federal Transit Administration), the Surface Transportation Block Grant (Metropolitan Transportation Commission), and the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (Caltrans).
Implemented in TAM Area
Current TDM Implementation
The Transit Priority Corridor Project is a current planning effort from Marin Transit to make improvements to high ridership corridors. Curb extensions are included as a treatment to increase safety, efficiency, and reliability of the bus system. San Rafael’s upcoming 2nd and 4th street intersection improvements include shortening crossing distances with curb extensions.
TDM Benefit Locations
This TDM measure will be particularly beneficial in corridors with high bus activity and near key crossings. This includes Downtown San Rafael, South Novato Boulevard, and busy arterials near schools.