Development and Evaluation of Transit Signal Priority Strategies

Abstract

Research describing the effectiveness of providing signal priority to transit vehicles is presented. Results from previous studies indicate that the effectiveness of transit signal priority depends on a number of factors, including the type of transit route, the transit usage level, and the time of day. This research describes and evaluates several transit signal priority provision methods during both peak and off-peak times. Results indicate that providing signal priority during off-peak times is often justified, due to excess capacity available within the transportation network. However, during peak times, transit signal priority use is justified only when the transit usage level is high.