A STUDY OF LOW COST ALTERNATIVES TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

VOLUME II DETAILS THE RESULTS OF CASE STUDY INVESTIGATIONS AND ANALYSES OF SEVEN OPERATING EXCLUSIVE BUS LANES. THREE OF THE EXCLUSIVE BUS LANES OPERATE AS CONTRAFLOW FACILITIES ON FREEWAYS, THREE AS CONTRAFLOW BUS LANES ON ARTERIAL STREETS, AND ONE AS A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED BUS LANE. THE STUDY FOUND THAT EXCLUSIVE BUS LANES WERE CAPABLE OF PROCESSING LARGE VOLUMES OF PASSENGERS OFTEN WITH SUBSTANTIAL TIME SAVINGS OVER COMPETING MODES. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT BUSWAYS OFFER THE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIAL GAIN IN TOTAL CAPACITY TO MOVE PEOPLE. THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT COMMUTERS ARE ATTRACTED TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SUCH AS CAB BE PROVIDED VIA AN EXCLUSIVE BUS LANE IF TRAVEL TIME SAVING IS ACHIEVED. BUS LANES CAN BE MADE OPERABLE IN A MATTER OF WEEKS AT A COST THAT CAN OFTEN BE ABSORBED WITHIN OPERATING BUDGETS. A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND OPERATING EXPERIENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARIOUS BUS LANES NOW OPERATIONAL ARE DETAILED. IN ADDITION, THE POTENTIAL FOR BUS LANES IN FIVE DIVERSE URBAN ENVIRONMENTS IS ANALYZED. DATA ARE PROVIDED ON FEDERAL FUNDING APPROPRIATE TO ESTABLISHING BUS LANES. /NTIS/