CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Metro is holding a public meeting Wednesday night to discuss its new, innovative transit option, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA) is "reinventing metro" by bringing BRT to Cincinnati. The enhanced transit option "will bring faster-than-ever service and significantly reduced travel times to the corridors it travels along," SORTA said.

Per SORTA, BRT uses limited stops, frequent service, smart traffic signals, dedicated buses lanes when possible and streamlined boarding and exiting to achieve reduced travel times and provide those traveling with reliable service. The service is also "universally accessible" as it has same-level entry between platforms and buses to accommodate for all.

The transit option is under a nine-month study that ends in spring 2023 to figure out the best locations to launch BRT in. So far, four corridors have been identified and two will be selected for initial service. The chosen corridors represent Metro's most popular transit routes, and each carries more than 1 million riders per year.

Once those two corridors are chosen, SORTA goal is to launch BRT in 2027.

Wednesday night's open house meeting with Cincinnati Metro is being held at the Evanston Recreation Center, located at 3204 Woodburn Ave., from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will focus on the possible Montgomery corridor. The Montgomery corridor would serve multiple areas, stretching from downtown to Kenwood.

Other proposed corridors include Glenway Avenue, Hamilton Avenue and Reading Road.

Other than the increased benefits in traveling, SORTA said BRT is sustainable and an economic driver.

"As demonstrated in other cities with BRT systems, BRT corridors attract revitalization, new development, new jobs, retail and affordable housing," SORTA said.

There are currently more than 30 BRT systems in the U.S., including ones in Cleveland, Columbus and Indianapolis.

The initiative to introduce BRT to the Greater Cincinnati area came after Hamilton County voters approved Issue 7 in May 2020. The approval provided additional funding for improved and expanded transit service and transit-related infrastructure within the county.

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CINCINNATI —

Cincinnati Public Schools board members had a few hot-button issues to discuss Thursday evening.

As many expected, the board voted unanimously to start the school year requiring masks for all students and staff in indoor settings. Masks are not required outdoors.

School board members discussed at length the latest crisis on its hands -- busing -- without much consensus on how to move forward. SORTA announced last week that it would eliminate XTRA routes students have used for years to go directly to CPS buildings.

"What are we going to do? We have to do something. Even if we say delay school, what are the implications of that? What is the impact of that?" said school board president Carolyn Jones. "We have to also take control of our own situation to some extent."

SORTA is hosting a public meeting to discuss busing changes Thursday. It will be held virtually from 4-6 p.m.

"I thought this doesn't even seem possible that you would have this kind of change," said school board member Ryan Messer. "They might be there for 24 hours getting public comment."

David Brenner is a parent of CPS students and spoke during the public comment portion of the school board meeting.

"There is irrefutable harm, and it is a huge safety issue for our students," he said. "When I looked at what it would take for my students to get to school, it was at least double, so they would be on the bus at least an hour each way plus a substantial walk to get to school or to home."

Educators are also concerned.

Cincinnati Federation of Teachers president Julie Sellers listed several issues, including pedestrian safety.

"I think it's way too dangerous," she said. "I do think that the district should talk with the legal department to find out about seeking a temporary injunction prohibiting any change."

The board voted to draft a letter of opposition and send it to SORTA ahead of its public meeting Thursday afternoon. The board also agreed to send additional communication about the situation to parents, request to meet face-to-face with the SORTA board CEO and request city and county leaders to also write formal letters of opposition.