Bus signal priority has proven to be an effective tool for reducing delays to transit vehicles while improving the overall operation of the arterial for all vehicles. This technique has not been as successful, however, when high volumes exist along the arterial and/or the cross street. Under these conditions the additional green time required by the transit vehicle can not only cause significant increases in delay to the cross-street vehicles as well as to other movements along the arterial not served by the transit vehicle, but the needed green time may far exceed available green time making this technique infeasible. This paper identifies an approach to evaluate the feasibility of successfully implementing signal priority as well as provides guidelines that should be followed when implementing signal priority along a congested corridor. (A)
Abstract