Is Des Moines ready for public rapid transit?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Imagine a Des Moines metro where thousands of car owners leave behind their vehicles for public transit that is fast and reliable, efficiently connecting residents to work, shopping and entertainment.

A group of area leaders are trying to make that happen, and they say the solution could be Bus Rapid Transit, a high-quality, rail-emulating bus system that has been embraced in several mid-sized cities.

To see how it works, more than 20 business and government leaders from the Des Moines metro — as part of the Capital Crossroads initiative — traveled to Grand Rapids, Mich., and Kansas City, Mo.

They came away impressed.

Elizabeth Presutti, head of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority, described the enhanced busing system as a “train-like service" on tires.

One of Des Moines' self-proclaimed transit geeks, Larry James, chairman of Urban Land Institute Iowa, describes bus rapid transit as a “gateway” for cities that cannot sustain more costly public transportation such as streetcars and light rail.

How bus rapid transit works

The service typically enhances existing bus routes by reducing stops, adding bus-priority traffic signals at busy intersections, replacing bus stops with modern stations and increasing the frequency of arrivals and departures. Some routes include designated bus lanes.

The modernized stations include electronic boards with live arrival times, with some stations using elevated platforms to expedite the boarding process.

While substantially less costly than rail or streetcars, it still carries a hefty price tag.

The high price tag

In Des Moines, the infrastructure alone would cost roughly $25 million to convert DART's popular route 60, a loop connecting Ingersoll and University avenues with downtown, into a bus rapid-transit system, according to a recent DART study.

The high cost is part of the reason DART has waited to create a pilot route in Des Moines. A nine-member advisory committee directing DART decided early this year not to request a federal grant that could have provided most of the funding for a route.

DART officials say they've now returned to the drawing board, with no preferred route for rapid transit in the Des Moines area.

Presutti said meetings begin this fall for an update to DART's long-range plan, which will likely involve potential rapid transit routes.

The takeaway from Kansas City

The Kansas City Area Transit Authority launched its first bus rapid transit route 10 years ago.

The $21 million Main Street MAX project revamped a bus route that covers nine miles, predominantly along Main Street through downtown.

Shifting to rapid transit routes eliminated one-third of the bus stops, decreased wait time to 10 minutes or less between buses and cut travel time between the Country Club Plaza and downtown from 28 minutes to 18 minutes.

The changes helped double ridership numbers within two years along the corridor.

"We went from really a low point in transit," said Dick Jarrold, vice president of regional planning and development with KCATA. "Today, two active BRT lines are the spine of our transit system."

The transit authority then expanded service to one of Kansas City's most economically challenged areas, relying heavily on federal earmarks and grants.

The agency is now preparing to launch its third and most costly rapid-transit route, with a $54 million price tag.

The rapid-transit stations, located one-quarter to one-half mile apart, have become key community landmarks, some featuring artwork, to gain neighborhood buy-in and support, Kansas City transit officials said.

The idea to "get a lot of advocacy groups, not just faith-based and not just the business community" was a key takeaway for Don Pearson, president of the Great Plains Region for Wells Fargo and co-chair of the transit future workgroup.

Des Moines City Manager Scott Sanders learned several things from Kansas City: “You’ve got to have a higher frequency of opportunities to get on the bus. You have to have a good route. And you have to have clean buses with good service.

“You have a younger generation of professionals that are heading to jobs that would actually prefer not to be driving vehicles. Let’s take advantage of that.”

Rapid transit as economic development tool

The thrust of bus rapid transit discussion often centers on economic development, a benefit that can trump the increased rider appeal and improved service for some policymakers.

"You think of it as moving people from point A to point B, but along the way it really does dictate where development occurs," said David Caris, vice president of MidAmerican Energy and co-chair of Capital Crossroads' physical capital committee, which covers transportation planning and infrastructure.

Transportation officials in Kansas City credit one of the routes for sparking commercial projects within the last few years, including Dollar General stores and retail shops, a bank and a Gate's Bar-B-Q restaurant.

A survey of nearly 50 business owners along rapid transit routes showed that 82 percent reported increased store traffic, according to data provided by the transit authority.

Still, Des Moines developer Alexander Grgurich with Nelson Construction and Development, who traveled to Kansas City, said he needs more substance to prove the economic benefit tied to bus rapid transit.

"Many stretches outside of the core downtown area still had vacant lots and dilapidated buildings," he said.

Grgurich, who is 29 and lives in downtown Des Moines, said he regularly uses public buses and would benefit greatly from rapid transit, but he questioned whether the city could sustain the investment.

Sanders voiced similar concerns.

“I need to have a high level of confidence that we’ve chosen a viable route, that the market (with riders) is in place or ready to go," he said. "… because you’re gambling or investing tens of thousands of dollars that this will work.”