EVALUATING THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT OF MULTI-MODAL SIGNAL PRIORITY IN AN URBAN ARTERIAL CORRIDOR

Abstract

Urban growth in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) has intensified congestion and reduced the reliability of passenger and freight travel. This study evaluates the operational and environmental impacts of transit signal priority (TSP), freight signal priority (FSP), and a dedicated bus lane (DBL), applied individually and in combination, along a 9.9 km segment of Queen Street in Brampton, Ontario with 17 signalized intersections. A calibrated PTV VISSIM microsimulation model was used to assess changes in average travel time, total person-delay, and emissions relative to a base case. Results show that TSP and FSP increased automobile and freight average travel times by less than 3%, while reducing transit travel times by up to 9%. DBL increased automobile and freight travel times by approximately 5-13% and increased total person-delay by up to 9%, despite reducing transit delay by more than 10%. Emissions and fuel consumption increased by up to 8% under DBL, whereas TSP and FSP resulted in negligible changes (approximately 3%). Combined strategies mitigated some DBL impacts but did not fully offset them, highlighting trade-offs in multimodal corridor prioritization.