Developing Guidelines for Implementing Transit Signal Priority and Freight Signal Priority Using Simulation Modeling and a Decision Tree Algorithm

Abstract

Transit signal priority (TSP) and freight signal priority (FSP) allow transportation agencies to prioritize signal service allocations considering the priority of vehicles and, potentially, decrease the impact signal control has on them. However, there have been no studies to develop guidelines for implementing signal control considering both TSP and FSP. This paper reports on a study conducted to provide such guidelines that employed a literature review, a simulation study, and a decision tree algorithm based on the simulation results. The guideline developed provides recommendations in accordance with the signal timing slack time, the proportion of major to minor street hourly volume, hourly truck volume per lane for the major street, hourly truck volume per lane for the minor street, the proportion of major to minor street hourly truck volume, the proportion of major to minor street hourly bus volume, the volume-to-capacity ratio for the major street, and the volume-to-capacity ratio for the minor street. The guideline developed was validated by implementing it for a case study facility. The validation result showed that the guideline works correctly for both high and low traffic demand.