The Fresno City Council has approved a revised version of a controversial plan for express bus service, known as Bus Rapid Transit. The council voted 6-1 Thursday to spend $1.5 million to fund design and engineering work for the $38 million project.
Much like the earlier proposal for Bus Rapid Transit, the new line will feature express bus service on Blackstone and Kings Canyon Avenues.
But unlike the proposal rejected by the council in January, the new BRT will use conventional non-articulated buses, and many stations will be built at grade, instead of on elevated platforms. City officials say the changes will reduce the overall cost of the project by $13.5 million.
The council also approved a plan to move ahead with upgrading existing FAX service on Shaw Avenue. The changes shaved $13 and half million dollars from the cost of the project. Most of the project is paid for through federal and state grants.
