Type
Videos
Author
Elizabeth Press
Organization
StreetFilms.org (USA)
Published in
2008
Submitted by
Peter Midgley, gTKP
Related theme(s)
Urban Mobility
Region
Europe (EU)
Country
France

Mobilien: Paris’ Version of Bus Rapid Transit

Le Mobilien is Paris’ version of what we know as a bus rapid transit system or a surface mass transport network. Paris has been doing “bus rapid transit” for decades, and after years of on-street operation and continuous fine-tuning they have now developed a system which they call the “Mobilien” – French for MOBI-lity plus “LIEN” which means link. Linking mobility. Unlike the BRTs that most US cities are looking at, the Mobilien adapts to different city contexts (i.e. street width and specific neighborhood dynamics). Mobilien doesn’t aim at producing top speeds but making steady progress through the traffic stream. It launched in Paris after three years of planning in 2004 with the goal of cutting down on car traffic. To make the project possible, Paris’ officials eliminated much on-street parking to create dedicated bus lanes that are shared with bicycles, taxis and emergency vehicles.