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On Jan. 25 the Richmond City Council will vote on a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) line from Rocketts Landing to Willow Lawn. Here’s hoping the members vote yes.

The proposal has alarmed some proprietors and residents along or near the proposed route, which is to be expected — not because the proposal is alarming, but because NIMBYism comes naturally to just about everyone.

Compared with other cities its size, Richmond has fewer bus stops, longer waits, and a smaller percentage of jobs accessible by transit. In fact, Richmond ranks in the bottom 10 percent nationally when ranked on those criteria. BRT can help address those shortcomings — at one-tenth the cost of alternatives such as commuter rail. What’s more, BRT lines can be moved far more easily to match population shifts than rail lines can.