Integrating transit signal priority with adaptive signal control in a connected vehicle environment : Phase 1 Final Report

2018Phase 1. Final ReportPDFTech ReportAdaptive controlBus stopsBus transitDedicated short range communicationsTraffic flowDwell timeTraffic signal controllersTraffic signal control systemsTraffic signal priorityTraffic signal timingHighwaysOperations and Traffic ManagementPublic TransportationBusesTraffic signalsTrafficConnected vehiclesPennsylvaniaUnited StatesCarnegie-Mellon UniversitySmith, Stephen F.Isukapati, IsaacBronstein, EliIgoe, ConnorCarnegie-Mellon UniversityCarnegie-Mellon University. University Transportation CenterUniversity Transportation Centers Program (U.S.)United States. Department of TransportationUnited States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and TechnologyUS Transportation CollectionThis project has taken significant steps toward the development and demonstration of a more effective approach to transit signal priority (TSP) than currently available systems, through integration of real-time adaptive signal control technology with dedicated short range communications (DSRC)-based detection of buses and communication of status information. The approach has been to extend the SURTRAC adaptive signal control system (in particular, its core intersection scheduling procedure) to achieve TSP objectives while at the same time minimizing the disruptive effects to overall traffic flow efficiency. Recent work with SURTRAC has produced an intersection scheduling procedure that inputs weights reflective of the relative priority of different types of vehicles and pedestrians, and uses these weights to generate signal timing plans that minimize the cumulative weighted delay of currently perceived incoming traffic flows. Taking this procedure as a starting point, the Phase 1 project has investigated mechanisms for generating and incorporating knowledge of expected bus stop dwell times into SURTRAC\u2019s aggregate representation of traffic inflows, to more accurately reflect bus arrival times at the intersection (as well as the arrival times of passenger vehicles that are likely to be blocked during dwell time at the bus stop). One principal research accomplishment has been the development of a statistical method for generating bus stop dwell time distributions that enable highly predictable real-time predictions of dwell times. A second result has been demonstration of the viability of installing a DSRC On Board Unit (OBU)