THE CASES FOR AND AGAINST BUS-CARPOOL LANES IN PENNSYLVANIA

This study presents a summary of the analysis and evaluation of exclusive bus-carpool lanes on several Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, expressways and arterials. The study was initiated by a November 1973, promulgatation from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding final Transportation Control Strategies for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The paper presents a summary of the analysis of the traffic operational and safety problems associated with exclusive lane operations. The major difficulties with implementation, as well as advantages and disadvantages of the bus-carpool lanes are identified and discussed. Major conclusions of the analyses and recommendations for each corridor analyzed are presented also. Some of the major difficulties and disadvantages of bus-carpool lanes identified include: the reduction of overall capacity of the expressways; removal of business parking within abutting local municipalities; decreased travel speeds for nonexclusive lane operation resulting in increased air polluton, accidents, etc.; large diversion of nonexclusive vehicles to alternate arterial routes causing increased congestion; hazardous weaving operations; difficulty in policy enforcement of exclusive lane; large capital expenditures for minimal or no benefit; undesirable diversion from parallel rail routes if carpool service is improved; and increased potential for accidents. Some of the major advantages of exclusive bus-carpool lanes identified include: high volume occupancy vehicles are given priority and are able to expedite travel; auto trips are eliminated and people are diverted to buses and carpools with a resulting reduction in the number of vehicles in the CBD; provision of a direct connection to the CBD from various suburbs; travel times for exclusive vehicles may be reduced in certain corridors; and reduced fuel consumption due to the reduction in vehicles traveling into the CBD. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the 46th Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, August 15-19, 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Ebersole Jr, G
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 115
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Institute of Transportation Engineers, Inc
  • Publisher: Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Bus lanes; Carpools; Costs; Expressways; Fuel consumption; Highway operations; Streets; Traffic; Traffic congestion; Traffic safety; Vehicle occupancy
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00151950
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 27 1981 12:00AM