Comparing Bus Priority System Logic Concepts Using Conditionally Active Signal Control in Austin

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) systems are implemented with the goal of reducing travel times for bus passengers and ensuring that buses adhere to schedules. TSP systems encounter trouble when there are multiple bus requests, heavy traffic conditions on cross streets, or uncertain bus arrival times. In this study, the authors modified the existing logic concepts for TSP strategies by assuming access to video detection technologies to accurately provide bus and vehicle locations. The authors examined the effect of these modifications by testing five different scenarios in CORSIM on a network reflecting the Guadalupe southbound corridor in Austin, TX during the 5-6 PM peak hour. The simulations use 11 bus routes, with approximately 20 buses, at nine intersections. Along with the “Base” scenario, four other scenarios tested variations of (1) whether cross streets are compensated for lost green time or not and (2) what sort of red truncation logic is used – traditional logic or logic that relies on searching for a critical gap to gauge traffic conditions on the cross street. Simulations were repeated for four bus occupancy levels to show the effect of switching between commute modes. The scenario that preformed best in terms of bus delay was the traditional red truncation in which green time was paid back to the cross street. However, overall corridor delay improved most in the scenario that combined the gap-based logic and the traditional - compensation logic.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB25 Standing Committee on Traffic Signal Systems. Alternate title: Comparing Bus Priority System Logic Concepts Using Conditionally Active Signal Control in Austin, Texas
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Chen, Amber
  • Alrashidan, Ahmad
  • Bujanovic, Pavle
  • Machemehl, Randy B
  • Baumanis, Carolina
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
• Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus priority; Forecasting; Logic; Red interval (Traffic signal cycle); Signalization; Traffic volume; Vehicle detectors
• Uncontrolled Terms: Compensation; Phase truncation
• Geographic Terms: Austin (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01626010
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 17-02215
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 15 2017 5:03PM