Westchester County’s Bee-Line bus system could be getting a “Queen Bee.” That’s the working title for the Central Avenue bus rapid transit service the county wants to run for 12 miles between White Plains, Yonkers, and the Bronx. The full report and a summary newsletter are available on the Westchester County DOT’s website.

The final concept for the route isn’t much different than what was unveiled at an open house last summer. It would take advantage of  transit signal priority throughout the corridor, bus lanes along selected parts of the route, pre-boarding fare collection, and one major routing change (see picture at right). Taken together, these features would cut travel time by 21%-42% compared to existing local service.

The county has also taken a serious look at using the rapid bus line as an anchor for transit-oriented development in the corridor.

The county’s implementation plan isn’t as rapid as it could be, though. While Westchester DOT foresees signal priority, bus lanes, small park-and-ride lots, and increased bus service in less than 3 years, off-board fare collection could take up to 6 years while other changes, like the “in-line” station, could take even longer. The report cites fiscal constraints as the rationale for the phased rollout. Capital costs for the entire project are around $33 million, and the report suggests that the county will seek money from the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts or Very Small Starts programs.