Public meeting on bus rapid transit system scheduled for May 18

A public meeting for the East-West bus rapid transit feasibility study is scheduled for May 18.

The meeting will be an open-house format with exhibits and maps displaying the latest study information, including alternatives under consideration, conceptual costs, benefits and potential impacts.

The meeting is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. May 18 at Marquette University's Campus Alumni Memorial Union in the third floor ballroom, 1442 W. Wisconsin Ave., in Milwaukee.

Money was put into Milwaukee County's 2016 budget to study the possibility of a bus rapid transit system, which may allow buses to drive in separate, dedicated lanes, make fewer stops than typical buses and make it possible for the buses to be competitive with vehicle drive times.

The vehicles are often specialized and feature unique branding and improved transit stations to enhance the experience for riders. The buses may also be equipped with road features such as traffic signal priority to help them maintain schedules.

The proposed new transit system could run along a seven-mile stretch in the east-west corridor, between the region's two largest job centers, downtown Milwaukee to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center.