IMPROVING TRANSIT THROUGH TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

This article outlines, from the point of view of transit planning, the incorporation of transit considerations in overall transportation planning in the Halifax-Dartmouth area of Nova Scotia, Canada. The advantages of a high transit modal split that will reduce private automobile usage and increase effective highway capacity are considered, as well as the changes to physical roadways and traffic patterns to improve transit efficiency effectiveness, and ridership. Transit priority, bypass priority, queue jumps, exemptions, and special handling are discussed. The transit/auto interface and the addition of bus bays that have been constructed as part of new roadways and modifications to existing streets are noted. As traffic volumes and transit vehicle frequencies increase, priority treatment must be evaluated; signal system priorities to allow transit queue jumps, bus-only lanes, and other methods of special handling sould be assessed with regional growth.