Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s Signal Priority Implementation Led to Buses Spending an Average of 21 Percent Less Time Waiting at Red Lights.
Three Intersections and Two Bus Routes Were Tested to Evaluate Boston’s Transit Signal Priority Deployment.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
MBTA and City of Boston Announce Partnership to Improve Bus Reliability by Expanding Transit Signal Priority City-wide After Successful Test Along Brighton Avenue
Summary Information
Transit signal priority (TSP) offers a promising approach to improving bus service by leveraging real-time vehicle location data to adjust signal timing and reduce delays. This study highlights key findings from the implementation of a TSP system at three intersections along Brighton Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, which began operation in 2023.
METHODOLOGY
The TSP system used functions of Boston’s traffic signal vendor and machine-learning technology from a transit agency which tracks and predicts bus locations. Traditional traffic signals are timed without prioritizing the flow of bus routes, whereas the TSP implementation involves retiming signals to keep traffic moving more efficiently for all road users.
FINDINGS
- Deployment results revealed that buses spend an average of 21 percent less time waiting at red lights.
- Results showed that buses passing through the area caught the green light five percent more often.
- Results also indicated eight percent faster travel times for buses with each bus saving an average of 16 seconds for a combined total of 110 minutes saved each weekday.
