A segment of Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas, Texas was modeled using traffic simulation software to determine the effectiveness of transit signal priority (TSP) in improving DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) bus operation, both on the test corridor and system-wide. Several different leading simulation software packages were evaluated to determine which would best serve the needs of this particular project. The selected simulation software was used to model different priority logic schemes for the corridor to assess the benefits of each, and to determine which provides the best overall results for the corridor. Since accurate bus detection is an essential part of any TSP scheme, several bus detection systems and technologies were evaluated, and a recommendation was made as to the means of bus detection best suited for this project. Once all of these selections were made, the operation of the system was analyzed and its benefits assessed. Based on these benefits, recommendations were made as to the best course of action for both the test corridor and system-wide DART bus operation.
Samenvatting