Integrated headway and bus priority control in transit corridors with bidirectional lane segments

• Published in: Transportation research. Part C, Emerging technologies Emerging technologies, 2020-02, Vol.111, p.114-134
• Main Authors: Seman, Laio Oriel, Koehler, Luiz Alberto, Camponogara, Eduardo, Kraus Jr, Werner
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bidirectional bus lane; Bus holding control; Exclusive busway; Transit signal priority
• ISSN: 0968-090X; 1879-2359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2019.12.001

•Integrated headway and bus priority control for bidirectional lane segments.•May represent, in many cases, the only feasible way for system deployment.•Relationship between the headway and bus travel time in the bidirectional segments. The problem of operating exclusive bus corridors that have segments with bidirectional lanes is treated. On these lanes, only one direction of movement is allowed when a bus is present. Such construct requires less road space, which is a scarce resource in dense urban areas, and thus may be the only feasible alternative for the installation of exclusive bus corridors. The system model includes limits on bus passenger capacity. The control method for real-time operation integrates bus headway corrections and bus priority through signalized intersections, while enforcing mutual exclusion of opposing buses on the bidirectional lanes. Effectively, the control avoids bus bunching over the entire corridor and coordinates the passage of opposing buses on bidirectional lanes. The objective is to minimize the total waiting time of passengers, both onboard and at stops. Simulation results indicate the applicability of the integrated holding and priority bidirectional lane control method.