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Transit signal priority for express buses : a study of the Granville corridor in Vancouver

University of British Columbia

Public transport facilities, especially in large metropolitan areas have gained significant popularity in recent years. In order to make these facilities more competitive with low occupancy private automobiles, transit authorities are adopting strategies that work in favour of transit vehicles. An emerging strategy that has attracted many cities is Transit Signal Priority (TSP). Successful TSP strategies advocate lower transit travel times with minimal impacts to other users. These strategies have the potential to reduce transit travel times along high-density arterials by offering transit users reduced delays at signalized intersections. The success of TSP, however, depends on not one but many factors such as traffic volumes, transit headways, and transit loading zones, among others. This research analyzed the effectiveness of TSP strategies, and the impacts of different variables on these strategies. The Granville corridor in Vancouver was used as a case study to conduct TSP analysis. A simulation model was developed for the Granville corridor. This model was analyzed for peak hour traffic using coordinated signals with variable active priority strategies. The study indicated significant priority usage at major signalized intersections. Owing to the high transit frequency along the Granville corridor, TSP benefited overall transit performance through reduced transit travel times. The benefits to transit were achieved with recoverable impacts on cross street vehicles. The study also analyzed the effects of active TSP strategies with uncoordinated signals. Uncoordinated signals offered relatively lower improvements to transit buses without much improvement in the cross street delay.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-10-28

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/14226

Civil Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace