Bus lane with intermittent priority (BLIMP) concept simulation analysis : final report, November 2009.

Final report; Nov. 2009.PDFTech ReportFTA-FL-26-7109.2009.8FL-26-7109Bus rapid transitBus transitSignalizationHighway traffic control systemsTraffic lanesParts of roadsPublic transitFloridaUnited States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and InnovationCarey, GrahamBauer, ThomasGiese, KarenNational BRT InstituteUniversity of South Florida. Center for Urban Transportation ResearchUnited States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and InnovationNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-Transit Planning and PolicyNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Bus TransportationNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Transit Planning and PolicyUS Transportation CollectionThe Lane Transit District, in cooperation with the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute (NBRTI) at the University of South Florida, completed a preliminary implementation study to determine the potential impacts of a new and innovative transit priority treatment along a BRT corridor in Eugene, Oregon. The bus lane with intermittent priority (BLIMP) utilizes dynamic lane assignment to designate an exclusive bus lane on a temporary, bus-actuated basis. The temporary lane is designated via overhead variable message signs and in-ground dynamic lane markings.With no existing reference, PTV America, Inc. undertook the development of a VISSIM microscopic traffic and transit simulation model for the study corridor in Eugene, Oregon. The simulation model was used to identify potential benefits and disadvantages of the BLIMP concept and to compare BLIMP to other potential BRT treatments including no-build, transit signal priority, and exclusive bus lanes. The results indicate that travel time and travel time reliability would improve upon implementation of the BLIMP concept while having minimal impact on overall intersection delay. Additionally, evaluation of movement delays indicated that concurrent movements would see improvement while conflicting movements would see minimal change with the BLIMP concept