Surface Transportation Optimization and Bus Priority Measures the City of Boston Context
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Surface Transportation Optimization and Bus Priority Measures The City of Boston Context March 2013 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SPECIAL THANKS TO: Rick Dimino Tom Nally Charles Planck David Carney Erik Scheier Greg Strangeways Joshua Robin Angel Harrington David Barker Melissa Dullea Vineet Gupta i | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Exhibits............................................................................................................................................................ iii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 1 MBTA Operations and Initiatives ................................................................................................................................... 3 Current MBTA Operational Challenges ...................................................................................................................... 4 Recent MBTA Initiatives............................................................................................................................................. 9 Current MBTA Initiatives ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Bus Priority Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Summary and Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 32 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................................................. 36 ii | P a g e TABLE OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 1 Top 10 “Problem Spots” on MBTA Key Bus Routes ........................................................................................ 4 Exhibit 2Percentage Reduction in Travel Speed by Route, 2005-2015.......................................................................... 5 Exhibit 3Percentage Increase in Ridership by Route, 2005-2015 .................................................................................. 8 Exhibit 4MBTA System with Key Bus Routes ............................................................................................................... 11 Exhibit 5 Running Way Treatment Considerations ...................................................................................................... 14 Exhibit 6 Lane Placement ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Exhibit 7 Exclusive Bus Use Lane Comparison ............................................................................................................. 15 Exhibit 8 Degree of bus lane impacts .......................................................................................................................... 16 Exhibit 9 Arterial bus lane savings ............................................................................................................................... 16 Exhibit 10 Observed reliability improvements due to application of arterial bus lanes ............................................. 16 Exhibit 11 Estimated Cost for Running Way Treatments............................................................................................. 17 Exhibit 12 Bus Stop Treatment Considerations ........................................................................................................... 18 Exhibit 13 Bus Stop Locations ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Exhibit 14 Comparison of Bus Stop Locations ............................................................................................................. 19 Exhibit 15 Bus Stop Type Comparison ......................................................................................................................... 20 Exhibit 16 Bus Bulb (London) ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Exhibit 17 Average Bus Clearance Time ....................................................................................................................... 21 Exhibit 18 Bus Bulb with Bicycle Lane Accommodations ............................................................................................. 21 Exhibit 19 MUNI bus stop consolidation before and after results .............................................................................. 22 Exhibit 20MBTA Silver Line Kiosk and Station ............................................................................................................. 23 Exhibit 21 TSP Examples .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Exhibit 22 Overview of Signal Coordination, Signal Preemption and Signal Priority ................................................... 25 Exhibit 23 Reported Initial Estimates of Benefits to Buses From Traffic Signal Priority .............................................. 26 Exhibit 24 Transit Signal Priority Cost Estimates ......................................................................................................... 27 Exhibit 25 Bus Queue/Bypass Lane Illustration ........................................................................................................... 28 iii | P a g e Exhibit 26 Queue Jump Signal and Signage ................................................................................................................. 28 Exhibit 27 Default Boarding times ............................................................................................................................... 30 Exhibit 28 Measure Cost Effectiveness Matrix ............................................................................................................ 33 Exhibit 29 Recommended Bus Priority Measures and Associated Benefits ................................................................ 34 iv | P a g e INTRODUCTION The following document presents the results of the research conducted for the Boston Surface Transportation Optimization Pilot Study. VHB researched bus optimization measures to determine the current best practices employed domestically and internationally to improve bus operations. Based on this research, VHB developed a list of candidate measures that could be applied to improve travel times and reliability for buses operating in Boston. The project hopes to build upon the good work the MBTA has started by understanding domestic and foreign best practices for bus operations within a congested urban setting. The project provides an opportunity to see how bus operations in Boston can evolve into either high quality BRT service or routes/corridors with enhanced operations. Additionally, the Project will explore the opportunity to introduce alternative fuel and low emission buses to the MBTA fleet. The Project is funded by the Barr Foundation, the largest private foundation in Massachusetts. One of the Barr Foundation’s missions is to provide financial support for projects that mitigate climate change. As such, the Project’s effort to increase the quality and operational efficiency of Boston’s public transportation system and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the exploration of next generation fuels and fleet vehicles aligns with the Barr Foundation’s vision for the Boston of tomorrow. The first section of this document describes the current state of the MBTA including its challenges, recent initiatives and current initiatives. The document provides the current bus priority best practices and describes the treatment, presents the treatment’s effectiveness (if known), and estimates the cost to implement the treatment. Finally, the 1 | P a g e document summarizes the findings and suggests which treatments may work best within Boston’s urban context. 2 | P a g e MBTA OPERATIONS AND INITIATIVES VHB, along with A Better City (ABC), met with MBTA officials on July 10, 2012 to discuss current bus operation practices and to learn what operational challenges the MBTA faces. The current and next generation MBTA bus fleet was also discussed during this meeting but will not be addressed in this document. The MBTA is the fifth largest transit authority in the nation, servicing over 1.3 million customers daily. Bus ridership represents approximately 30 percent of total transit ridership. Bus ridership has grown steadily over the past decade, approximately three to four percent per year. Ridership growth continually places a strain on the bus operations, as noted by an Urban Land Institute (ULI) report highlighting the need for additional passenger capacity due to ridership growth. The active fleet size is approximately 1,065 vehicles. The propulsion systems vary across the fleet and include diesel, CNG, diesel/electric hybrid, diesel/trackless trolleys, and electric. A major constraint in the makeup, distribution, and operation of buses is the location of the maintenance facilities.