Imagine you are running late leaving home, class is starting in 10 minutes and you are frantically looking for a parking spot so that you won’t be late for class. We have all been there.
The rough reality of parking as a college student at Weber State is nothing new to any of us. Luckily, many of our complaints have been heard and the Weber County Commissioners are trying to do something about it.
In a recent conversation with Commisioner James H. Harvey about changes coming to Ogden city, he expressed his desire to improve parking and traffic flow around WSU for all of our benefit.
“We are all working together to responsibly move people around Weber County, including to Weber State University,” Harvey said.
One exciting change on the table was the commissioner’s proposal, which would work with UTA, Ogden City, Weber County and Weber State University to implement a BRT system here in Weber County that would make stops at WSU.
BRT stands for Bus Rapid Transit. Essentially, a BRT system is an eco-friendly, high-speed bus that has dedicated road space so it can move about the town quickly and efficiently. They move passengers rapidly from point A to point B by using their designated road space and route.
BRT systems have been gaining a lot of popularity around the world as well as here locally, for good reason. One of the many benefits of a BRT system is the amount of time that it will save commuters.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, passengers that use the BRT system save an average of 26 minutes each day off their normal commute. In Istanbul, Turkey, the BRT system saves its passengers almost 52 minutes a day off of their normal commute.
With time being such a precious commodity to everybody, the opportunity to save time is certainly a huge incentive.
On August 15, a BRT system in Provo and Orem referred to as the Utah Valley Express will begin shuttling passengers around Utah County. It is estimated that the BRT system in Provo will save its passengers 5 to 10 minutes each direction and possibly more during peak traffic hours.
That time is 20 extra minutes every day, plus free of road rage and traffic hassle.
Harvey was very excited as we discussed the potential for a BRT system in Weber County, and if the Provo BRT is successful, it can only mean good things for one in Weber County.
If implemented, a BRT system stands to help all of us in one way or another.
College students will gain the ability to be dropped off right at the university, saving them the hassle of dealing with parking. It also provides everyone more time, a precious commodity in our fast-paced society.
