New Jersey route 485 exclusive bus lane safety study.

Author(s)
Menta, V.K. Strate, H.E. & Saracena, A.
Year
Abstract

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's (PANYNJ's) main objective in undertaking the New Jersey Route 495 Exclusive Bus Lane (XBL) Safety Study was to assess the safety impact on traffic operations by permitting 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses to operate in the XBL. The XBL is a 2.5 mi (4 km) contraflow bus lane connecting the New Jersey Turnpike and the Lincoln Tunnel. It operates only during the A.M. peak period in the eastbound direction from 6:30 A.M. until approximately 10:00 A.M. The XBL is reserved for vehicles with a capacity of 16 or more (essentially public and private sector commuter buses). During a typical A.M. peak hour, the XBL carries approximately 750 buses in the eastbound direction (1,850 buses during A.M. peak period), each saving 10-25 minutes in travel time. The current operations in the XBL approaching the Lincoln Tunnel in New York were restricted to 96 in. (244 cm) wide buses. To conform to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the convenience offered by the new 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses, transit operators expressed a desire to use the 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses in the XBL. At the outset, it does not appear to be a problem to introduce buses that are only 6 in. (15 cm) wider. However, the reduction in clearance between the vehicles in the XBL and the adjacent normal traffic flow lane due to the wider buses in an extremely tight geometric environment on Route 495 was of significant concern to the PANYNJ. The mirror to mirror width of the 102 in. (259 cm) wide bus is approximately 120 in. (305 cm) leaving only 4 in. (10 cm) of unoccupied lane space at some locations along the XBL. The problem is compounded by a sizeable population of commercial vehicles, oncoming in the adjacent lanes, accounting for a "shy" factor causing vehicles to veer from each other. To evaluate the safety issues associated with permitting 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses, a two phase approach that extended over a year of data collection, analysis and review of the results by an expert panel was adopted. The final recommendations permitted the 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses to operate in the XBL subject to the condition that the mix of 102 in. (259 cm) wide buses be closely monitored and an increase in the mix of 102 in. (259 cm) buses to 30% of the bus population be immediately followed by further analysis. (A)

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Publication

Library number
981324 t2 ST (In: ST 981324)
Source

In: Traffic congestion and traffic safety in the 21st century : challenges, innovations, and opportunities : proceedings of the conference, Chicago, Illinois, June 8-11, 1997, p. 319-325

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