(Blue Diamond Road) Corridor Study - Regional Transportation ...

8. Estimated System Costs RTC SR-160 Corridor Study
8.0 COST ESTIMATES FOR TRANSIT ALTERNATIVES
This section provides capital and operating cost estimates for each of the transit alternatives
under consideration for the SR-160 corridor. For each of the alternatives – Alternative 1
high build and Alternative 2 low build – costs are provided for three time horizons: 1) 2008,
2) 2015, and 3) 2025, for a total of six transit alternatives. Capital estimates are provided
first for each of the six alternatives, followed by annual operating costs for each alternative.
8.1 CAPITAL COST ESTIMATES
8.1.1 Overview of Capital Cost Benchmarks
Capital costs are an important component
in assessing the suitability of a given
modal technology to the ridership
characteristics of a given corridor.
Conventional Bus Transit
Standard 40-ft bus currently in use on CAT service
Conventional fixed route bus service is a
low-cost system that operates on mixed
traffic streets, roads and highway without
any special running way requirements.
The basic requirement for fixed route bus service is a roadway and locations to stop and
service passengers. Bus stops often include information indicating the carrier, the location
of the bus stop, route alignment and the schedule. Typically, stops served by conventional
fixed route bus lines with high ridership are provided with a protective shelter with seating
and more transit information. Where no roadway investment is required, the only additional
cost that may be incurred is the purchase of new transit vehicles where spare vehicles are
not available. Conventional bus service could be provided on the corridor at minimal cost
Bus stops can be located where desired along SR-160 by the placement of simple signs and
benches, and buses can be purchased or redeployed to support the service. This could be
an appropriate “first step” prior to providing a more elegant transit solution.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
RTC has already implemented one bus rapid transit line in the Las Vegas Region. CAT
operates RTC Southern Nevada’s Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) route, which travels
northeast from the Downtown Transportation Center (DTC) to North Las Vegas along North
Las Vegas Boulevard. The MAX system includes a curbside lane reserved for operation of
transit vehicles and turning vehicles. Stations are generally spaced between 0.75 and 1.0
miles apart. Station architecture includes a canopy for weather and sun protection, map
cases, fare vending machines, vending machines for beverages, and seating. MAX
8-1