Here's a thread for Metro Transit's
Arterial Transit Corridor Study (ATCS). I haven't heard of any action being taken since the open houses a few months back, but their
timeline indicated that they may pursue funding sources throughout the year.
The study was focused on "rapid bus" service, which can be like bus rapid transit in almost every way except that exclusive lanes were not considered. Pretty much everything else was, however:
- Limited-stop service
- Traffic signal priority
- Raised platforms for near-level boarding
- All-door boarding with either pre-payment of fares at stations, or Go-To card readers installed at all doors
- Well-designed stations with lighting, heat, and, NexTrip displays
Unfortunately, many of the routes included in the study are also tied up with other studies looking at light rail, true BRT, and streetcar service. That was particularly true of the slow, busy routes in Minneapolis. The only routes planned for near-term implementation are along Snelling Avenue and West 7th Street in Saint Paul.
Here's a map of the routes that were studied:
corridormap_rev_600.jpg