ORT sets bus rapid transit input sessions

FAYETTEVILLE — Ozark Regional Transit officials and its consultants have set the dates for four public input sessions to discuss bus rapid transit options on the U.S. 71B corridor through Northwest Arkansas.

The public transit provider has commissioned a study of the corridor from Fayetteville to Bentonville to determine whether a “light” version of bus rapid transit is feasible.

“They’re going to look at the 71 Business corridor as it sets right now, without improvements; then they’re going to look at what it’s going to take to improve it so we can use this corridor, with some minor modifications, so the buses integrate with the existing traffic,” said Joel Gardner, executive director of Ozark Regional Transit. “The overall focus is to get people who are living in Fayetteville up to areas where they work in Bentonville or people living in the Bentonville and Rogers area down to where they work in Fayetteville and, of course, in between.”

Bus rapid transit typically uses dedicated lanes giving priority to buses at intersections and uses design features to reduce delays caused by passengers boarding or leaving buses or purchasing fares. The idea is to combine the capacity and speed of a metro rail system with the flexibility, lower cost and simplicity of a bus system.

The transit study is looking for less expensive and less intrusive options that can be done relatively quickly.

The study is being done by KFH Group of Austin, Texas, and is expected to conclude June 30. Results are expected to be presented in July.

The study will consider traffic signal priorities, parkand-ride locations with bus stations and bus pullouts, among other things.

The study is being paid for with a Walton Family Foundation grant of about $140,000.

The meetings schedule is:

■ Springdale: 5:30-7 p.m. April 11 at the Public Library, Shiloh Room.

■ Fayetteville: 4-7 p.m. April 12 at Ozark Natural Foods Community Room in the Evelyn Hills Shopping Center.

■ Bentonville/Rogers: 2-4:30 p.m. April 13 at Northwest Arkansas Community College, Peterson Auditorium at the Shewmaker Center.

■ Lowell: 4:30-7 p.m. April 13 at City Hall.