spring technical session may 19, 2017 brentwood,...

TRANSIT SIGNALPRIORITY (TSP)

ON MURFREESBORO PIKE CORRIDOR

Spring Technical SessionMay 19, 2017Brentwood, Tennessee

• What is Transit Signal Priority?• Project Team / Stakeholders• Project Overview• Project History• Project Goals• Planning Phase• Design Phase• Project Status / What’s Next…• Questions

Presentation Overview

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a general term for a set of operational improvements that use technology to reduce dwell time at traffic signals for transit vehicles by holding green lights longer or shortening red lights.

TSP may be implemented at individual intersections or across corridors or entire street systems.

The distinction between Transit Signal Priority and Signal Pre-Emption is an important one because: “signal priority modifies the normal signal operation process to better accommodate transit vehicles, while pre-emption interrupts the normal process for special events such as an approaching train or responding fire engine...”

TSP systems require four components: 1) Detection system aboard transit vehicles2) Priority request generator3) Strategy for prioritizing requests4) Overall TSP management system

What is Transit Signal Priority?

Project Team

Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)Co-Client

Metropolitan Nashville –Davidson CountyCo-Client

Lead Planning / Design Firm DBE Surveying Subconsultant

Internal Peer QA/QC Subconsultant

Design Subconsultant

CEI Consultant**via separate contract

DBE Data Collection Subconsultant

Project Stakeholders

- Planning / Development- Service Quality / Scheduling- Information Technology- Procurement

- Public Works- Information Technology

Services (ITS)

- Traffic Operations Division- Multimodal Division- Region 3 Design

Project Limits:– Approximately 12 miles covering 2 State

Routes– Murfreesboro Pike (SR 1 / US 41 / US 70S)

• ADT from 18,000 to 40,600 vpd– Bell Road (SR 254)

• ADT from 34,300 to 40,000 vpd– 41 traffic signals– 12 BRT stations per direction– Mixed flow TSP– Centralized operation

Project Overview

Wharf

Elm Hill

Foster

Plus Park

Glengarry

Donelson / Dell

Thompson

Nashboro

Bell

Hickory Hollow

Mount ViewZelida

Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant

– 2013 Awardee ($474M, 52 Projects, 37 States)– Phase V for TIGER

Project Overview: Funding

Project Overview: Ridership

Project Overview: Ridership Details

Project Overview: Boarding Activity

Project Overview: Weekday On-Time Performance

Overall Average On-Time Performance (Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday) = 80%

Project History: Previous BRT Efforts

BRT lite Deployment– Gallatin Pike (Route 56)– Murfreesboro Pike (Route 55)– Charlotte Pike (Route 50)

Amenities– New shelters w/ kiosks, mapping, and push

button activation– More frequent service (every 15 minutes)– Fewer stops– ‘60’ hybrid articulated buses– Limited TSP

(Gallatin Pike only)

Technology– TCT LMD 8000 controller– GTT OpticomTM infrared

system (not GPS-based)– ‘One-way based’ TSP

Improve transit operations– Improve travel times– Improve travel time reliability– Increase ridership

Upgrade aging signal infrastructure– Mast arm upgrades (from wooden poles)– New cabinets / foundations / wiring– 8 inch signal head display removal

Upgrade obsolete signal technology– Controllers (ATC platform)– Radar detection– Interconnect (Ethernet fiber)– Central software

Improve multimodal access along the corridors

– ADA compliance– Sidewalk connectivity– Pedestrian amenities (APS, buttons, heads,

crosswalks)

Project Goals

Project Goals: Fulfi l l ing TIGER Grant Initiatives

Make it more reliable and accessible to use transit on Murfreesboro Pike and Bell Road

A CHANGE IN FOCUS…‘person throughput’ rather than ‘vehicle throughput’

Improve transit performance for those that are transit dependent and to attract ‘discretionary’ riders

Upgrade some of the City’s oldest signal equipment and link sidewalks to BRT lite stations and signalized crossings

Environmental Documentation (NEPA)– Prepared by Nashville MTA staff– Categorical Exclusion (CE) granted by FTA

[23 CFR 771.118(c)(8)]

Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP)– Existing system– ITS Architecture compliance– Introduction to TSP (goals, objectives, typical

components– System Engineering Analysis (SEA)– TSP architecture options– Concept of operations– Procurement options– Preliminary cost estimating

Operational Analysis– Typical signal operations– MUTCD compliance– ADA compliance– Sidewalk / access management deficiencies– TSP operational needs

Planning Phase

Planning Phase: Concept of Operations

Types of Transit Signal Priority:Passive Priority – Based on an optimal signal coordination, considering the transit operations/speedsActive Priority – Priority treatment following detection and subsequent priority request activation

– Green Extension– Early Green – Actuated Transit Phases

• Exclusive left turn lane• Queue Jump (QJ) phase

– Phase Insertion• i.e. Insertion of a leading left-turn-only

phase for transit vehicles– Phase Rotation

Planning Phase: Act ive Priority – Early Green

Ø1-5 Ø2-6 Ø3-7 Ø4-8

Signal PhasingØ2-6

Ø1-5

Ø3-7

Ø4-8

Point of Detection


Ø1-5 Ø2-6 Ø3-7 Ø4-8

Signal PhasingØ2-6

Point of DetectionTruncated Green Time

Ø3-7

Ø4-8

Ø1-5


Ø1-5 Ø2-6 Ø3-7 Ø4-8

Signal PhasingØ2-6

“Early Green”

Ø3-7

Ø4-8

Ø1-5

Planning Phase:Queue Jump Example

Right-turn Lane Queue Jump

Planning Phase: Concept of Operations

Priority Control Options:• Simple Priority

– Always granted as bus approaches signal• Conditional Priority – Headway Based

– Based on user-defined threshold– Attempt to maintain consistent headways between buses – Reduces ‘bunching’ of buses and gives preference to buses

falling behind schedule• Conditional Priority – Schedule Based

– Based on the schedule of the bus. – Typically is integrated with the transit vehicle’s Automatic

Vehicle Location (AVL) and scheduling system

• Conditional Priority – Passenger Loading– Based on occupancy of the bus – Would grant the priority only if a threshold is met– Integration with Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) system

Planning Phase: TSP ArchitectureDistributed System

– Located at the intersection based on the pre-defined parameters.

– Simple structure, but more restricted to capabilities and analysis.

Centralized System – Resides at a central location. – More robust, allowing monitoring and

adjustments at a central location. – Requires good communication to a

central office.

Smart Bus Concept – Logic resides on the bus and

integrated with the AVL and Schedule system.

Planning Phase: Centralized TSP Architecture

Signal System Technology – Econolite Centracs© central

software– TSP module procured in this

contract– Econolite Cobalt ATC controller– NEMA TS2 Type 2 platform

Transit System Technology– Trapeze TransitMasterTM Automatic

Vehicle Location (AVL) system– 4G / LTE wireless router (onboard

each BRT bus)

Communications Technology– Ethernet Fiber– 10GigE communications links

between Metro ITS and Public Works

Planning Phase: Operational Analysis

Approach– Corridor-wide review with a critical eye– Without consideration of funding limit

Murfreesboro Pike at Una-Antioch Pike /

Nashboro Boulevard

Signal Operations– 41 signals (23 total mast arm

rebuilds)– Unwarranted signals– Unwarranted left-turn phases– Lane designation changes– Removal of split phase

operation– Addition of pedestrian phasing– MUTCD compliance– TDOT Traffic Design Manual

compliance


Sidewalk / ADA / Access Management– Sidewalk gap analysis and access

management considerations– Federal PROWAG requirements for ADA

Mur

free

sbor

o Pi

ke n

ear T

hom

pson

Lan

e

– Sidewalk replacement– Sidewalk connectivity to BRT stations


TSP Considerations– Queue jump options– Placement of BRT stations (upstream

vs. downstream of signal)– Exclusive transit lanes– Sidewalk connectivity to BRT stations

Exclusive Transitway

Transit Phase

Insertion

Ø1-5 Ø2-6 Ø3-7 Ø4-8

Signal Phasing


Murfreesboro Pike from Ransom Place to Una-Antioch Pike / Nashboro Village BoulevardDual Queue Jump Operation

TSP ConsiderationsBRT

Stations

Design Phase: ChallengesBudget

– More needs than budget allows

Right-of-Way Constraints– No time / budget for ROW or

easement acquisition

Utility Make Ready– High demand

Multimodal Balance– Transit needs– Traffic needs– Bicycle / pedestrian needs

Schedule– TIGER V funding has a sunset

date (Done by September 2019)

Design Phase: ROW Constraints

Murfreesboro Pike at Thompson Lane

Design Phase: Util ity Make Ready• HIGH DEMAND for pole attachment

requests in Metro Nashville• Straightforward approach when

replacing old copper interconnect• Can be challenging when space is not

already reserved• SPIDAmin (new NES on-line

application system)

Design Phase: Multimodal Balance

NORTH

The Issue:• Need for pedestrian

accommodations with split-phase operation on Fesslers Lane

The Solution:• Cross Murfreesboro Pk

only once with peds• Avoid conflict with heavy

SB left-turn movement • ADA ramps that meet

PROWAG requirements


NORTH

The Issue:• Pedestrian access to

BRT stations• Connectivity to

pedestrian generators• Topography limits design

options• Limited ROW south of

Murfreesboro Pike

Murfreesboro Pike at Plus Park Boulevard

“Homemade” Pedestrian Path

BRT Stations Right turn lane


Murfreesboro Pike Inbound

TDOT St’d Bike / Ped Safety Rail


NORTH

The Issue:• Need for pedestrian

accommodations with split-phase operation on Fesslers Lane

The Solution:• Utilize new signal to route

pedestrians to/from BRT stations

• Sidewalk extensions to pedestrian generator

• ADA ramps that meet PROWAG requirements

Trade-offs:• Lost exclusive right-turn

lane on Plus Park approach

• Lost bicycle buffer for approximately 400’

Murf. Pk. /Bell Road Queue Jump

Murfreesboro Pk

The Issues:• BRT route turns at Bell

Road• BRT station locations• Three receiving lanes on

westbound Bell Road

BRT Stations

Murf. Pk. / Bell Road Queue JumpThe Issues:• BRT route turns at Bell

Road• BRT station locations• Three receiving lanes on

eastbound Bell Road

NORTH

BRT Station

Murf. Pk. / Bell Road Queue Jump

NORTH

Relocated BRT Station


NORTH


NORTH

The Solutions:• Convert existing lane to inbound

BUS ONLY lane• Queue jump to access inbound

BRT station• Relocate outbound BRT station


Trade-offs:• Additional phase inserted• WB travel lane reduction

Project “Firsts” The region’s first large scale

implementation of TSP

First centrally-managed signal system in the State that incorporates transit operations with arterial signal control

One of the first projects to implement recommendations identified in the MTA / RTA nMotion Strategic Plan

May be the first project to help fulfill a ‘scorecard’ item from the Chamber’s Moving Forward initiative

Current Status…

Project is “out to bid” currently

TSP “Business Rules” to be developed this Summer

Signal timing optimization and TSP timings developed this Summer / Fall

18-month construction schedule

Questions and Answers

spring technical session may 19, 2017 brentwood,...

Documents