A Cincinnati City Council committee voted Tuesday to establish transit zones in preparation for the upcoming Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, service. The ordinance is aimed at prohibiting loitering at the future bus stops. It will be up for a final Council vote Wednesday.
Council member Mark Jeffreys introduced the measure.
"We don't want people hanging out there all day," Jeffreys said. "We've made a major investment in Bus Rapid Transit in our metro system with the passage of Issue Seven [in 2020] ... and the idea is that, how can we make sure that we're maximizing that investment?"
Last month Metro announced branding for BRT as "Metro Rapid." Metro Rapid will feature two bus lines along Reading Rd and Hamilton Ave, each with dedicated bus lanes to ensure buses can move along their routes with fewer interruptions.
The ordinance says people may only occupy a BRT stop for as long as it takes to purchase fare, wait for the bus, and board or de-board. It’s the same language already in place for stops along the streetcar.
Metro Chief of Staff John Ravasio says the Metro Rapid stops will look similar to streetcar stops.
"So, covered areas; imagine level boarding and the access that that grants to all members of our community," Ravasio told Council in committee Tuesday. "So this ordinance would go a long way towards the quality of that transit experience for the riders using the Bus Rapid Transit system."
Metro Rapid is expected to launch on Reading Road in 2027 and on Hamilton Avenue in 2028. some business owners object to the proposed location of a Metro Rapid stop on Ludlow Avenue in Clifton, citing concerns about lost parking and safety for area schoolchildren.
The ordinance only applies to the future Bus Rapid Transit stops, not to stops for regular bus service. Jeffreys says enforcement along the streetcar or Metro Rapid is easier because there's only one line.
"But take, for example, Government Square — how do you even enforce an anti-loitering concept there, because there's so many busses coming through? It's impossible. So this ordinance does not tackle any of that, it only tackles BRT," he said.
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