TRANSIT: Bus rapid transit system headed to Fresno, Calif.

Following a 6-1 vote by the city council last week, the city of Fresno, Calif., will look to hire a company to manage the implementation of a bus rapid transit (BRT) system. The city is looking to limit spending for this phase of the project to $1.5 million.

The Fresno City Council had been working on a BRT project plan for some time, but it differed significantly from the final plan voted on last week. That iteration of the plan had been defeated in a 4-3 vote following a seven-hour hearing. Opponents voice concerns about the cost and scope of the project and the role of the federal government, which is contributing a large portion of the funding.

How much the new plan will cost is currently unknown, but it is reportedly less than the initial $50 million price tag. The size of the buses also shrank—from 60 ft to 40 ft long—and the city council switched station plans from raised platforms to smaller models.