What is Advanced Rapid Transit (ART)?
Advanced Rapid Transit, or ART, is a high-quality, modern public transportation system that’s designed to move more people faster and farther.
ART systems deliver fast, frequent, and reliable public transit service, with vehicles traveling in dedicated lanes outside regular traffic, using bus-friendly traffic signals, and offering off-board fare collection options for faster boarding.
An effective ART system is an important component to improving frequency and reliability, offering passenger comfort and more equitable access to affordable public transportation options.
The region’s first ART corridor, the VIA Rapid Green Line, connects points from the North and South sides. A second proposed ART corridor, the VIA Rapid Silver Line, connects the East and West sides.
Latest News
VIA Opens First Community Office Focused on Keep SA Moving Project
Advanced Rapid Transit Project Office to serve as resource for future ‘Green Line’
As VIA Metropolitan Transit continues to move forward to deliver the city’s first Advanced Rapid Transit corridor, local officials on Wednesday celebrated the opening of a Project Office designed to be an information hub for the community.
President/CEO Jeff Arndt was joined by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, former Mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros and VIA Board Chair Fernando Reyes at the project office to celebrate its opening. Though phased construction on the corridor isn’t set to begin until 2025, the office opened as a community resource, offering the opportunity to meet with project team members, give feedback and get updates about the transformative transit project.
Benefits
- Pay before you board
- Reliable 10- to 15-minute service all day
- Bus-friendly traffic signals
- Real-time route information
- Boarding for people with all abilities
- Level and all-door boarding
- Connects more people to more places
- Provides a reliable alternative
- Delivers access to key destinations
The Advanced Rapid Transit North/South Corridor Project connects the San Antonio International Airport area, along San Pedro Avenue, through Downtown, and south to the Missions area. ART vehicles run in dedicated and mixed-use lanes.
VIA Rapid Green Line (North to South) Project Timeline
Features
MORE reliable travel
- Dedicated bus lanes improve reliability, even as traffic congestion increases in the future
- Arrival times are more accurate
- Fewer cars on the road improves travel for everyone
ART N/S PROJECT EARNS ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVAL FROM FEDS
VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Advanced Rapid Transit North-South Corridor Project has reached a critical milestone that will allow the agency to proceed with the final design and development of the project.
In May 2023, VIA received approval from the Federal Transit Administration on its federally required environmental study under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, known as NEPA.
VIA’s work under NEPA began in 2021 and included significant public engagement and technical review of the proposed project. The NEPA process concluded with the approval of an environmental document classified as a “Categorical Exclusion,” which means that the project has received its required environmental clearance.
This federal approval allows VIA to move the ART project forward into final design and construction with a planned launch in 2027.
The documentation used in the NEPA process can be found below.
NEPA Documentation
VIA DCE AppendixB Vol 9 Community Analysis
NEPA VIA ART NS Draft Documented CE
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix A
NEPA VIA DCE Vol 1 Purpose and Need
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 2 Traffic Analysis Part 1
NEPA VIA Appendix B Vol 2 Traffic Analysis Part 2
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 3 Air Quality
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix Vol 4.1 Historic Resources
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 4.2 Historic Resources
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 4.3 Historic Resources Part 1
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 4.3 Historic Resources Part 2
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix Vol 4.3 Historic Resources Part 3
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 4.3 Historic Resources Part 4
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 4.3 Historic Resources Part 5
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 5 Archaeological Resources
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 6.1 Phase I Site Assessment
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 6.2 Phase I Site Assessment
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix B Vol 7 Noise and Vibration
NEPA VIA DCE Appendix Vol 8 Natural Resources
NEPA VIA DCE FTA Determination Letter
NEPA VIA DCE FTA Determination Letter Attachment
Digital Resources
ART NS Corridor Roll Plot_March 2023
VIA DCE 1 Draft Historic Resources Report
VIA DCE 2 Draft Historic Resources Report
VIA DCE 3 Draft Historic Resources Report
VIA DCE 4 Draft Historic Resources Report
VIA DCE Draft Archeological Resources Report
ART Project FAQs
ART North/South Traffic Report with appendices (40MB)
ART NS Corridor Roll Plot January 2023 – Low Res (24MB)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting Summer 2022 Handouts (English)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting Summer 2022 Handouts (Spanish)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting Summer 2022 Exhibit Boards (Spanish)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting Summer 2022 Exhibit Boards (English)
VIA ART N/S Project – Summer 2022 Virtual Meeting
ART Summer Public Meeting Information
VIA ART N/S Project – March 2022 Virtual Meeting
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 Virtual Reality
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 3-D Visualizations
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 Handouts (Spanish)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 (English)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 Exhibit Boards (Spanish)
VIA ART N/S Project – Community Meeting March 2022 Exhibit Boards (English)
ART Corridor Roll Plot 8 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 7 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 6 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 5 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 4 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 3 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 2 of 8 – March 2022
ART Corridor Roll Plot 1 of 8 – March 2022
ART Spring Public Meeting Information