BUS PREEMPTION SIGNAL (BPS) - AN APPLICATION OF AN ADVANCED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (APTS)

With the emergence of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies, there has been a renewed interest in the bus priority signal (BPS). However, at present there is no model capable of simulating various BPS strategies and then restoring the original signal settings after bus preemption is awarded. The effect of providing the BPS treatment on the Washtenaw Avenue Corridor in Ann Arbor, Michigan was studied. The NETSIM graphic animation feature was used to detect the bus arrival, award preemption, and the signal timing plan was restored to the original setting manually. The model was calibrated using field data and the sensitivity of the model to several variables was tested. It was found that signal preemption disrupts traffic progression, and thus increases overall network vehicle and person delay. The bus travel time and delay were reduced when the optimal BPS plan was used. The BPS was tested under different network traffic volumes, different main to cross street traffic ratios for an isolated intersection, and signal preemption for carpools. It was found that maintaining progression is most critical under heavy traffic conditions. The traffic volume criteria that warrant signal preemption were established. There appears to be advantages to providing carpools with preemption capability up to between 5 and 10% of the main traffic volume.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program
• Corporate Authors:

  Michigan State University, East Lansing

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  East Lansing, MI  United States  48824-1226

  Great Lakes Center for Truck and Transit Research

  201 UMTRI Building, 2901 Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2150

  Michigan Department of Transportation

  State Transportation Building, 425 West Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30050
  Lansing, MI  United States  48909
• Authors:
  • Taylor, W C
  • Al-Sahili, K A
• Publication Date: 1995-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 191 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Advanced public transportation systems; Bus priority; Bus transit; Carpools; Signal devices; Traffic delays; Traffic signal preemption; Traffic signal timing; Traffic simulation; Traffic volume
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00722096
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GLCTTR 61-95/01, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: DTRS92-G-0005
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 8 1996 12:00AM