Transit signal priority optimization for urban traffic network considering arterial coordinated signal control

• Published in: Advances in mechanical engineering Vol. 9; no. 8; p. 168781401770059
• Main Authors: Li, Rui, Jin, Peter J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2017; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Bus stops; Delay; Intersections; Methods; Neural networks; Optimization; Passengers; Roads & highways; Simulation; Traffic congestion; Traffic control; Traffic delay; Traffic models; Traffic volume; Transportation corridors; Transportation planning; Travel time; Urban areas; Urban transportation; Vehicles; arterial coordinated signal control; optimization; methodology; transit signal priority; Transport engineering
• ISSN: 1687-8132; 1687-8140; 1687-8140
• DOI: 10.1177/1687814017700594

Traffic congestion has been a challenging problem in urban areas during rush hours. Transit priority (especially transit signal priority) strategy can provide smooth flow for decreasing travel times, stops, and delay. However, on urban arterials, the performance of transit signal priority scenario along arterial corridors of urban traffic network is primarily affected by coordinated signal control strategy. This article proposes a transit signal priority green duration optimization model considering passengers traveling delay at intersections and bus stops, and then the optimized transit signal priority phase plan considering arterial coordinated signal control is addressed. Consequently, the proposed method is evaluated using a VISSIM model calibrated with field traffic volume and traffic signal data of Qingliangmen-Bridge community in Nanjing, China. Comparing with the non-transit signal priority scenario, the optimized transit signal priority–based phasing plans result in the reduced delay at intersections and bus service stops. The evaluation results illustrate the promising performance of the proposed transit signal priority optimization method considering arterial coordinated signal control in reducing the passenger delay for urban traffic network during rush hours.