Shared-Use Bus Priority Lanes on City Streets: Approaches to Access and Enforcement

This paper examines policies and strategies governing the operations of bus lanes in major congested urban centers where the bus lanes do not completely exclude other uses. The two key questions addressed are: 1. What is the scope of the priority use granted to buses? When is bus priority in effect, and what other users may share the lanes during these times? 2. How are the lanes enforced? To answer these questions, the study developed detailed cases on management strategies in seven cities that currently have shared-use bus priority lanes: Los Angeles, London, New York City, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul, and Sydney. Through the case studies, the paper examines the range of practices in use and highlights innovative ones that may contribute to bus lane success.