Impacts of Various Parameters on Transit Signal Priority Effectiveness

Abstract

This research examines the impacts of a number of traffic parameters on the effectiveness of a Transit Signal Priority (TSP) application. TSP is tested with the 98 B-line rapid buses along Granville Street in the City of Vancouver as a case study. VISSIM, a micro-simulation software (PTV 2002), is used to simulate TSP operation on the corridor. The traffic parameters studied include: bus approach volume, cross street volume/capacity (v/c) ratio, bus headway, bus stop location, bus check-in detector location, left turn condition, and signal coordination. Based on results from these experiments, recommendations are provided for TSP application on Granville Street. In general, it is found that a TSP application would be most effective under a traffic condition that has moderate-to-heavy bus approach volume, little or no turning volume hindering bus movement, slight-to-moderate cross street v/c ratio, farside bus stop, and signal coordination for traffic running in the peak direction.