1. Bus Rapid Transit Infrastructure Design Roadway and Junctions Bus stops Shreya Gadepalli Senior Program Director Institute for transportation and Development Policy

2. Roadway and Junction Design

3. Intersections are critical SO REDUCE CONFLICTS Restrict turning options where possible (no right turns) Avoid elements which can be put elsewhere (No parking near intersection + Shift back BRT stations) Provide time for pedestrians to cross and safe places to wait

4. INTERSECTION CAPACITY varies with signal phasing

5. TWO PHASE OPTIONS Signalized Round about
(square geometry)
All turning movements possible in two signal phases
Higher junction capacity
Lower time lost for BRT as well as mixed traffic

6. TWO PHASE OPTIONS Signalized Round about (square geometry)
Size based on turning movement volume
Signal cycle an essential component of geometric design
Short signal cycle essential avoid jam
Short signal cycle gives frequent pedestrian crossing time

7. TWO PHASE OPTIONS Signalized round about (Split intersection)
Two Phase signal phase
Higher junction capacity
Multiple arms incorporated

8. TWO PHASE OPTIONS Right turning movement through
U-turn - Left turn combination
Only straight movement allowed at junction with two phase signals

9. BUS STATION LOCATION Pedestrian behavior at junction
Bus blocks bus bay due during Red Phase not letting buses behind to access the bus stop
Risky behavior of Pedestrians to access the bus station
Pedestrian has to get across MV traffic of multiple directions in unsafe conditions
BUS STOP
Fewer lanes for MV traffic at junction results in longer cycle time and lower junction capacity
BUS STOP

10. BUS STATION LOCATION JUNCTION DESIGN BRT STOP AT INTERSECTION
BRT STOP AWAY FROM INTERSECTION
Fewer lanes to cross to reach BRT station
Synchronized signals for safe pedestrian crossing
JUNCTION DESIGN
Median Station allows for easy transfers
More space for mixed traffic at intersection

11. BUS STATION LOCATION If BRT Station is at the Junction then
Many buses cannot utilize GREEN signal since earlier bus blocks the bus bay because it is waiting at the RED signal
Results in Long queues and bunching of buses and slows down the BRT system
May result in unwanted pedestrian behavior wishing to reach bus stop

12. BUS STATION LOCATION Station setback from Intersection
Station at Intersection

13. BRT Stations

14. Speed vs saturation B Rapid T B Slow T
BUS STATION SATURATION
Speed vs saturation B Rapid T B Slow T 35 30 25 20 15 10 5
buses
speed (km/h)
cars
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9 1
saturation

15. BUS STATION CAPACITY Increase in capacity with overtaking lane
Multiple bus bays with overtaking lane for entry exit as well as express services reduces bus stop saturation and increases system capacity
Large bus flows with inadequate infrastructure causes huge bunching

16. LANES AT BUS STATIONS Lane width requirement
Open bus platforms do not regulate where buses stop. This creates confusion at the station Narrow overtaking lane obstructs oncoming buses and mixed traffic lanes – minimum width at bus station location with overtaking lane > 7m

17. Platform not properly aligned and only one door per bus at each station.
Undersized stations for actual demand
This caused crowing at inside stations

18. BUS STATION CAPACITY Station dwell time and capacity
Bus queuing even at very low capacity (3000 pphpd) Higher demand exists on the corridor so other buses ply in mixed traffic

19. BUS STATION SIZE Waiting space inside bus station
One size does NOT fit all
Estimating passenger boarding and alighting demand of each bus stop location is important for bus station sizing.
Small and Narrow station
Creates large passenger queues outside the bus station
Results in discomfort and reduced efficiency of boarding

20. Maximum gap of 10cm between bus floor and Platform
BUS STATION PLATFORM
What it should be
What it should NOT be
At level boarding
Maximum gap of 10cm between bus floor and Platform

21. BUS STATION FEATURES System Identity and Station Name
High ceiling with partial roof cover over Bus
Route information
Safe distance between Bus and BRT station
(250mm)
Platform extension for close docking of bus
(<125mm)

22. DOES SPEED MATTER?
Most mass transit options can have relatively similar operating speed, other aspects remaining similar
Speed is important since the fleet size required becomes lower for the same frequency of service
Average speed increases as distance between stops increases. But speed of system matters only so far as total trip time of passengers is reduced

23. Stop spacing and Passenger trip time
When trip lengths are short, closely placed stations are preferable since slow speed walk time becomes a large component of total trip time.
As trip lengths increase, system speed can be increased by increasing station spacing

25. BRT and Pedestrian

26. PEDESTRIAN CROSSING every 120-200m
else they will make their own crossing!
Pedestrian Delay
Over 30 sec – Risky Behavior
Over 60 sec – would surely attempt to cross
Very long signal cycles with long waiting time for pedestrians makes them take chances and meet with accident.
Lower pedestrian delay requires shorter signal cycles

27. Zebra crossing Median treatment
Which one is better?
The Answer is evident

28. At grade access to bus stops

29. HCBS Junction Conceptual Design
Waiting space for NMV in front of MV
Larger Pedestrian crossing space
No free left turns

30. Speed vs Injury

31. Pedestrian Safety 5% Speed drop results in 15% fewer collisions
10% fewer pedestrian fatalities
20% less severe pedestrian injuries
Removing free left turns will reduce
Left turn crashes by 19 %
Collisions with pedestrians by 38%
Collisions with cyclists by 50%
Speed Drop
Collision Drop
2 km/h 5%
5 km/h
15%
10 km/h
42%

32. Left turning speed and turning radius
Target turning speed
Trucks < 10 km/h
Cars < 20 km/h
Effective Turning Radius
Use 4.5 m compound curve
NOT 15 m simple curve which results in km/h for cars)

33. Left turn slip lane design
High Vehicle speed but low visibility of Pedestrian
Unsafe
Lower Vehicle speed with better visibility of Pedestrian
Safe

34. Slip lanes What they should NOT be

35. UNUSED but UNSAFE
Observing existing road use can teach us a few things about safe and realistic geometry

36. Something to think about
Reality
Eliminate or reduce severity of crashes
Minimize pollution and noise
Recapture urban space for people
Effectively utilize existing infrastructure
Fantasy
Make drivers and pedestrians behave
Develop a cleaner and quieter engine
Design city so everyone drives everywhere all the time
Build more capacity to move out of congestion

37. 3 Principals to remember
Vehicle speed
Speed is a significant determinant of severity of crashes, should be logical with respect to context, and is a critical factor in safety where there are conflicting traffic modes.
Lower vehicle speeds open a range of design options that enable a street to look less like an expressway and more like a neighborhood street.
Pedestrian and bicycle exposure risk
By making the distance to cross the street shorter, the time spent crossing the street is reduced and the exposure risk is subsequently reduced.
Driver predictability
If other street users can better predict how and where a particular vehicle will be driven, the street will be safer.