scholarly journals An Examination of the Safety Impacts of Bus Priority Routes in Major Israeli Cities

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8617
Author(s):  
Victoria Gitelman ◽  
Anna Korchatov ◽  
Wafa Elias
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Public Transport ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Bus Priority ◽  
Safety Level ◽  
Comparison Groups ◽  
Pedestrian Crashes ◽  
Crash Types ◽  
Increasing Trends

Bus priority routes (BPRs) promote public transport use in urban areas; however, their safety impacts are not sufficiently understood. Along with proven positive mobility effects, such systems may lead to crash increases. This study examines the safety impacts of BPRs, which have been introduced on busy urban roads in three major Israeli cities—Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Crash changes associated with BPR implementation are estimated using after–before or cross-section evaluations, with comparison-groups. The findings show that BPR implementation is generally associated with increasing trends in various crash types and, particularly, in pedestrian crashes at junctions. Yet, the results differ depending on BPR configurations. Center lane BPRs are found to be safer than curbside BPRs. The best safety level is observed when a center lane BPR is adjacent to a single lane for all-purpose traffic. Local public transport planners should be aware of possible negative implications of BPRs for urban traffic safety. Negative safety impacts can be moderated by a wider use of safety-related measures, as demonstrated in BPRs’ operation in Haifa. Further research is needed to delve into the reasons for the negative safety impacts of BPRs under Israeli conditions relative to the positive impacts reported in other countries.

New Intelligent Transport Systems Applications in Europe to Improve Bus Services

2002 ◽  
Vol 1791 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Hounsell ◽  
Graham Wall
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Intelligent Transport Systems ◽  
Bus Priority ◽  
Intelligent Transport ◽  
Message Signs ◽  
Investment Process ◽  
Bus Services

Applications of information technology are expanding rapidly across all modes of transport, under the general heading of intelligent transport systems (ITS). For bus-based public transport, a cluster of applications has been developed that can help improve the efficiency and performance of buses on the street, thus helping to provide a real transport alternative to the private car. An initial summary of a range of such ITS examples in Europe is provided, including automatic vehicle location (AVL), bus priority in traffic control systems, automatic ticketing systems, automatic camera enforcement systems, and variable message signs. Then the focus shifts to one area where activity is most pronounced—the implementation of AVL systems and their integration with urban traffic control (UTC) systems. A review of typical AVL/UTC systems operational in Europe is then presented through the identification of some eight alternative architectures and associated system characteristics, such as the technologies used and the location of bus priority “intelligence.” This is followed by a summary of examples from cities in Europe that have implemented these architectures, together with typical results illustrating the effectiveness of these systems. The diversity of architectures, technologies, and systems is recognized as beneficial in providing customer choice, but can generate a significant difficulty for decision makers in local authorities wishing to invest in public transport ITS technologies. A concluding discussion lists some of the key issues involved in this investment process.

scholarly journals School-Aged Pedestrian–Vehicle Crash Vulnerability

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kinga Ivan ◽  
József Benedek ◽  
Silviu Ciobanu
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Vehicle Speed ◽  
Vehicle Crashes ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Triggering Factors ◽  
Pedestrian Crashes

The analysis of pedestrian–vehicle crashes makes a significant contribution to sustainable pedestrian safety. Existing research is based mainly on the statistical analysis of traffic crashes involving pedestrians and their causes, without the identification of areas vulnerable to traffic crashes that involve pedestrians. The main aim of this paper is to identify areas vulnerable to school-aged pedestrian–vehicle crashes at a local level to support the local authorities in implementing new urban traffic safety measures. The vulnerable areas were determined by computing the severity index (SI) based on the number of fatal, serious, and slight casualties throughout the 2011–2016 period in a large urban agglomeration (Bucharest). As well as the vulnerable areas, the triggering factors and the time intervals related to school-aged pedestrian–vehicle crashes were identified. The outcomes of the study showed that the vulnerable areas were concentrated only in districts 2 and 4 of Bucharest, and they were associated with high vehicle speed and pedestrians’ unsafe crossing behavior. The findings revealed that speed and age are triggering factors in generating school-aged pedestrian–vehicle crashes. The identified time peaks with a high number of traffic crashes correspond to the afternoon time intervals, when scholars go home from school. The identification of the areas vulnerable to school-aged pedestrian crashes may help local authorities in identifying and implementing measures to improve traffic safety in large urban agglomerations.

scholarly journals Identification And Analysis Of Potential Risk Factors Influencing The Road Safety Level At Designated Pedestrian Crossings

2021 ◽  
Vol 1202 (1) ◽  
pp. 012032
Author(s):  
Gábor Pauer ◽  
Nóra Krizsik ◽  
Szilárd Szigeti ◽  
Zsolt Hamza
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Safety ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Road Accidents ◽  
Safety Level ◽  
Potential Risk Factors

Abstract According to the data of the European Road Safety Observatory, around 21% of all road fatalities are suffered by pedestrians in the EU. In 2019 in Hungary, road accidents of pedestrians have had a share of 14,6% in all road accidents with personal injuries, which meant 2535 accidents in which one or more pedestrians were injured. A significant proportion of the accidents occurred at designated pedestrian crossings (43,1% of pedestrian accidents in 2019), and this trend increased over the last 5 years. To account the problem, Institute for Transport Sciences Non-profit Ltd. conducted a research focusing on the identification of potential risk factors which may have a negative impact on the level of traffic safety of designated pedestrian crossings in urban areas. Analysis and ranking of the risk factors have been carried out based on experts’ evaluation and scoring, with the use of statistical methods. The results of the work explore the risks that need to be addressed with special attention during the review of existing, and the establishment of new pedestrian crossings.

scholarly journals “Howya gettin’ on?” Investigating Public Transport Satisfaction Levels in Galway, Ireland

Urban Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Hynes ◽  
Olga Bolbocean ◽  
Michael McNally ◽  
Mike Conroy ◽  
Daniel Bednarczuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Transport Network ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
The Public ◽  
Customer Services ◽  
Bus Services

Public transport transforms urban communities and the lives of citizens living in them by stimulating economic growth, promoting sustainable lifestyles and providing a greater quality of life. Globally, the healthiest cities have one thing in common, a public and active transport network that does not depend on each person owning a personal motorised vehicle. Growing dependence on the automobile has created a multitude of problems, some of which public transport can help solve. Adverse social, environmental and health effects related to automobile emissions and car-dependency suggest that using public transport will result in a decrease in an individual’s carbon footprint, will lessen overall CO2 emissions, and will help to ease urban traffic congestion as well as encourage more effective and efficient land use. With many urban areas experiencing ongoing traffic problems, it is acknowledged that any sustainable long-term solution must entail a significant public transport element. The aim of this research study, conducted in November and December 2017, was to obtain essential baseline information on service user satisfaction levels with the existing public bus services in Galway City, Ireland. By measuring levels of satisfaction, it is possible to build our overall knowledge of the public transport network and thus identify improvements in the service that would lead to an increase in bus passenger numbers and result in reductions in the amount of cars on the roads. Results suggest deficiencies in public transport infrastructure, such as Dedicated Bus Lanes, and the lack of attention to customer services are hindering improvements in the public bus service.

scholarly journals Pilot Implementation of Public Transport Priority in the City of Zagreb

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miroslav Vujić ◽  
Sadko Mandzuka ◽  
Martin Greguric
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Traffic Demand ◽  
Public Transport System ◽  
Adaptive Traffic Control ◽  
The City

The problem with traffic congestion is particularly expressed in urban areas where possibilities for physical increment of capacity are limited or impossible. Significant in the approach to solving this problem is the usage of Public Transport (PT) and the implementation of various advanced control measures that can improve the quality of overall public transport system. The main objective of this research is to explore the possibilities of implementation of adaptive traffic control on signalized intersections giving priority to public transport vehicles through urban traffic network in the city of Zagreb. The possibilities of implementing public transport priority (PTP) technique in the city of Zagreb are analyzed because of specific traffic situations on defined corridors (location of stops, distance between intersections, etc.). With proper usage of PTP techniques (e.g. adequate detector positions, good estimation of PT vehicle arrival time at intersection) the total tram travel time can be significantly reduced. The Level of Service at intersection may be approximately retained because cross-street traffic demand was not ignored. According to technological level of traffic control system in the city of Zagreb, global implementation of PTP is not possible. So, for each intersection the PTP algorithm was developed separately, but mutual traffic influence of all intersections on the corridor was considered. The cooperative concept application within urban traffic control is considered as well.

scholarly journals GIS-Based Survey over the Public Transport Strategy: An Instrument for Economic and Sustainable Urban Traffic Planning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Gabriela Droj ◽  
Laurențiu Droj ◽  
Ana-Cornelia Badea
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Public Transport ◽  
Public Transportation ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
The Public ◽  
Real Time Traffic ◽  
The Impact

Traffic has a direct impact on local and regional economies, on pollution levels and is also a major source of discomfort and frustration for the public who have to deal with congestion, accidents or detours due to road works or accidents. Congestion in urban areas is a common phenomenon nowadays, as the main arteries of cities become congested during peak hours or when there are additional constraints such as traffic accidents and road works that slow down traffic on road sections. When traffic increases, it is observed that some roads are predisposed to congestion, while others are not. It is evident that both congestion and urban traffic itself are influenced by several factors represented by complex geospatial data and the spatial relationships between them. In this paper were integrated mathematical models, real time traffic data with network analysis and simulation procedures in order to analyze the public transportation in Oradea and the impact on urban traffic. A mathematical model was also adapted to simulate the travel choices of the population of the city and of the surrounding villages. Based on the network analysis, traffic analysis and on the traveling simulation, the elements generating traffic congestion in the inner city can be easily determined. The results of the case study are emphasizing that diminishing the traffic and its effects can be obtained by improving either the public transport density or its accessibility.

Study on the separated bus lanes effectiveness in city centres

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 257-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wafaa Saleh ◽  
Robert Ziolkowski
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Transport ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Traffic Management ◽  
Road Network ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Data Logger ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – Under deteriorating conditions of travelling in urban areas, especially city centers, prioritization of public transport is one of the main ways of its enhancing. In developed countries sophisticated control traffic systems are being implemented while in developing countries such solutions due to implementation cost are very rare. The purpose of this paper is to assess public transport operational effectiveness under diverse operational schemes present in two similar in size and traffic characteristics cities. The assessment is based on average journey times and speeds during peak and off peak hours. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology includes measurements and estimates of bus rides through in-field measurements in Edinburgh, UK and in Bialystok, Poland. In-field evaluations have been conducted using average speed and travel times. The data were collected by utilizing a portable GPS data logger that allowed monitoring and recording bus position along tested streets in one second intervals. Traffic optimization in Edinburgh is provided by separated bus lanes and control urban traffic system while in Bialystok the only prioritization is supported by bus lanes. The research areas in Edinburgh and in Bialystok covered streets in city centers and adjacent districts. Findings – The findings show large operational potential in developing separated bus lanes in city centers of developing countries when due to cost they cannot afford implementing advanced ITS solutions. The introduction of bus lanes should be proceeded even at the expense of individual users. It has been found that well developed road network in city center with separated bus lanes can provide operating speed at comparable levels to speed of buses operating along lower volume corridors. Originality/value – The comparison of bus lanes working under different traffic management conditions was carried out. Conducted analyses showed great potential of proper planning strategy of road network development toward the improvement of public transport performance.

Treatment of tunnel wash water and implications for its disposal

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2029-2035 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hallberg ◽  
G. Renman ◽  
L. Byman ◽  
G. Svenstam ◽  
M. Norling
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Suspended Solids ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Particulate Material ◽  
Wash Water ◽  
Polluted Water ◽  
Solids Concentration ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Road Tunnels

The use of road tunnels in urban areas creates water pollution problems, since the tunnels must be frequently cleaned for traffic safety reasons. The washing generates extensive volumes of highly polluted water, for example, more than fivefold higher concentrations of suspended solids compared to highway runoff. The pollutants in the wash water have an affinity for particulate material, so sedimentation should be a viable treatment option. In this study, 12 in situ sedimentation trials were carried out on tunnel wash water, with and without addition of chemical flocculent. Initial suspended solids concentration ranged from 804 to 9,690 mg/L. With sedimentation times of less than 24 hours and use of a chemical flocculent, it was possible to reach low concentrations of suspended solids (<15 mg/L), PAH (<0.1 μg/L), As (<1.0 μg/L), Cd (<0.05 μg/L), Hg (<0.02 μg/L), Fe (<200 μg/L), Ni (<8 μg/L), Pb (<0.5 μg/L), Zn (<60 μg/L) and Cr (<8 μg/L). Acute Microtox® toxicity, mainly attributed to detergents used for the tunnel wash, decreased significantly at low suspended solids concentrations after sedimentation using a flocculent. The tunnel wash water did not inhibit nitrification. The treated water should be suitable for discharge into recipient waters or a wastewater treatment plant.

scholarly journals Bus Rapid Transit System Introduction in Johor Bahru: A Simulation-Based Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4437
Author(s):  
Sitti Asmah Hassan ◽  
Intan Nurfauzirah Shafiqah Hamzani ◽  
Abd. Ramzi Sabli ◽  
Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Bus Rapid Transit ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Rapid Transit ◽  
Bus Priority ◽  
Time Saving ◽  
Transit System ◽  
Mobility Solution

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is one of the strategies to promote improvements in urban mobility. In this study, BRT scenarios, which integrate exclusive bus lanes and bus priority signal control in mixed traffic scenarios, were modelled using a VISSIM microsimulation. Three scenarios of BRT were modelled to represent 16:84, 38:62 and 54:46 modal splits between public transport and private vehicles. It was found that Scenario 4 (the 54:46 scenario) offers better benefits in terms of delay time saving and economic benefits. In general, it was found that the BRT system enhances the functioning of the transport system and provides people with faster and better mobility facilities, resulting in attractive social and economic benefits, especially on a higher modal split of public transport. It is regarded as one strategy to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce dependency on private vehicles. The finding of this study provides an insight on the effective concept of the BRT system, which may promote the dissemination of an urban mobility solution in the city. The results can help policymakers and local authorities in the management of a transport network in order to ensure reliable and sustainable transport.

scholarly journals Social distancing in public transport: mobilising new technologies for demand management under the Covid-19 crisis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hörcher ◽  
Ramandeep Singh ◽  
Daniel J. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
New Information ◽  
Occupancy Rates

AbstractDense urban areas are especially hardly hit by the Covid-19 crisis due to the limited availability of public transport, one of the most efficient means of mass mobility. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, public transport operators are experiencing steep declines in demand and fare revenues due to the perceived risk of infection within vehicles and other facilities. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities of implementing social distancing in public transport in line with epidemiological advice. Social distancing requires effective demand management to keep vehicle occupancy rates under a predefined threshold, both spatially and temporally. We review the literature of five demand management methods enabled by new information and ticketing technologies: (i) inflow control with queueing, (ii) time and space dependent pricing, (iii) capacity reservation with advance booking, (iv) slot auctioning, and (v) tradeable travel permit schemes. Thus the paper collects the relevant literature into a single point of reference, and provides interpretation from the viewpoint of practical applicability during and after the pandemic.

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