Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority Strategies for Bus Rapid Transit on 5600 West Street in Salt Lake County, Utah

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a flexible, high performance rapid transit mode that uses buses or specialized rubber tired-based vehicles operating on pavement, and combines a variety of physical, operating, and system elements into a permanently integrated system. Because of its benefits and lower costs, Utah Transit Authority (UTA) has decided to begin BRT implementations in Salt Lake County, where a total of 106 miles of BRT lines are planned for construction and implementation in future years. Transit Signal Priority (TSP) usually supports BRT operations. TSP provides priority for transit vehicles on signalized intersections along a main corridor. Many studies and implementations have proven its efficiency. On the other hand, providing priority along the main corridor has impacts on other vehicular traffic. For each TSP implementation, it is very important that the optimum balance between the priority provided to transit vehicles be weighed against the negative impacts on vehicular traffic. This research evaluates BRT and TSP implementations along 5600 West Street in Salt Lake County through micro-simulation. This road is an important north–south arterial, and it has been chosen for a full phase BRT implementation. The study area consists of a 5-mile corridor with seven signalized intersections along 5600 W that represents the busiest section of the arterial, and where special design changes, with center running BRT lanes, are planned for construction. Evaluations are based on VISSIM simulation models, which were created for this network, based on the real traffic and transit data from the field, and planned design changes and traffic estimations for the target year 2030. Full phase BRT will be implemented along the 5-mile corridor, from 2700 S to 6200 S. It will consist of a dedicated center running BRT guideway and six BRT stations, each direction located near signalized intersections. This study analyzes the effects of the design changes, BRT implementation, and different TSP strategies on general purpose traffic and future transit operations. The study also analyzes two separate TSP strategies, the Green Extension/Early Green and Phase Rotation strategies, and a combination of these two. The final results show that if no action is taken along this corridor, a major worsening in traffic conditions can be expected. Minor improvements bring certain benefits to traffic operations. With the planned design changes and BRT implementation, the negative effects of the No Action alternative will be minimized, especially along the busiest corridor segments. An implementation of the Green Extension/Early Green TSP strategy creates the most benefits for BRT operations, when: 1. The BRT travel times are approximately 7% lower than if no TSP were provided. 2. Intersection delays for BRT are significantly reduced. 3. The impacts on general purpose traffic would be minor to neutral. Some of the methods and techniques applied in this project were used in presentations given at the National BRT Institute Workshop, held June 23, 2009, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Solutions Summit Public Transportation Workforce Development, held September 10, 2009, in Fargo, N.D., and a paper titled Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority in RBC and ASC/3 Software-in-the-Loop Simulation Environment, presented at the 89th TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., January 12, 2010.

  • Record URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
  • Corporate Authors:

    University of Utah, Salt Lake City

    Salt Lake City, UT  United States 

    Mountain-Plains Consortium

    North Dakota State University
    Fargo, ND  United States  58108

    Research and Innovative Technology Administration

    Office of University Programs, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Authors:
    • Martin, Peter T
    • Zlatkovic, Milan
  • Publication Date: 2010-6

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 198p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01164284
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: MPC Report No. 09-213A
  • Files: UTC, TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Jul 29 2010 9:24AM