All you need is the plan, the road map, and the courage to press on to your destination.Earl Nightingale, author, 1921–1989
Study areas for traffic-impact assessments are often well defined in local guidelines and are mostly based on the extent of the increase in traffic demand through the network and specifically through critical intersections. The introduction of BRT operations should not result in an increase in traffic volumes, but in fact should reduce the number of single-vehicle occupancy trips along a corridor. However, there will be impacts along the route and parallel routes as a result of:
The traffic impacts are not necessarily restricted to the corridor itself, but could also be introduced on alternative parallel roads. At a minimum, the study area should include the actual corridors along which the BRT is planned, with specific attention to all the major intersections. Ideally, the impact assessment would also include impacts to cross streets and along parallel alternative routes. The purposes of the impact assessment must always be clearly defined, and care should be taken not to introduce unnecessary mitigation measures along the corridor and along alternative routes. The BRT in itself can be argued as a major mitigation measure to improve the capacity of a corridor. Mitigation measures should be restricted to the route along which the BRT is planned unless there are compelling operational reasons to expand improvements to the road network in the immediate vicinity of an intersection where, for example, turning movements are banned and/or restricted as a result of the BRT system.