Red Line Update Brings Safety and Transit Improvements to State Street

CDTA’s Red Line Update project is bringing transit priority and pedestrian safety improvements to State Street (Route 5) in Schenectady and Niskayuna. Back in 2022 and 2023, CDTA studied ways to update the Red Line with some transit priority elements and passenger amenities that were not part of their bus rapid transit (BRT) tool kit when they launched the service. As the study ended and CDTA began designing the recommendations, they learned that they had won a federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant that would allow them to also include pedestrian safety improvements to the project.

The Red Line became Upstate New York’s first BRT line when it commenced operations in 2011. At that time, the BusPlus was different than traditional local service because it offered more frequent buses, larger stations, and transit signal priority to help buses avoid delays at traffic lights. After 15 years in service, the Red Line maintains its position as the highest ridership line in CDTA’s system. However, newer, and improved BRT features from CDTA’s subsequent Blue and Purple BusPlus lines were missing from the original Red Line stations. Since then, CDTA has incorporated more elements into their BRT system, like dedicated bus lanes and amenities like heated sidewalks at stations.

CDTA continued to upgrade the line through the Red Line Refresh, a systemwide effort to update station amenities and improve the customer experience. Starting in 2023, the Refresh brought a host of improvements to stations, such as new LED lights and larger BusPlus pylons that house electrical equipment for heated snow‑melt pads, that keep waiting areas clear of snow and ice. These upgrades helped to make the Red Line more in-line with the amenities at the newer Blue and Purple Line stations.

The Red Line Update is in Phase 1 and will help buses move faster and remain on schedule better with infrastructure improvements, such as Transit Signal Priority (TSP) and bus queue jump lanes. Queue jump lanes are set to be installed at seven intersections along Route 5, which will allow buses to merge back into traffic more efficiently, reducing delays. In total, 29 intersections in Schenectady and Niskayuna are set to receive TSP upgrades along State St/Route 5.

Along with the planned station area improvements, thanks to the SS4A grant, the project will also repair or replace sidewalks, repaint crosswalks, upgrade pedestrian signals, and add bump outs at intersections near the bus stops in some locations. These improvements will make it safer and easier for people to walk, bike, and access transit along an important segment of the Red Line while complementing existing pedestrian improvements. Additionally, the current BRT station at Division Street will be moved to McClellan Street to improve access to the upgraded pedestrian facilities.

Construction of Phase 1 upgrades will start this summer and should be completed by the end of 2027. Service information for the BusPlus Red Line can be found online at www.cdta.org/brt!