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TO: |
Board of Trustees |
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THROUGH: |
Jay Fox, Executive Director |
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FROM: |
Nichol Bourdeaux, Chief Planning and Engagement Officer |
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PRESENTER(S): |
Shaina Quinn, IMS Program Manager |
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Casey Brock, Bus Communications Supervisor |
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Blaine Leonard, UDOT Transportation Technology Engineer |
TITLE:
title
Bus Transit Signal Priority Overview
end
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:
Discussion
RECOMMENDATION:
Informational item for discussion. Purpose of the discussion is to raise awareness of UTA and UDOTs Connected Vehicle and Transit Signal Priority programs
BACKGROUND:
Transit Signal Priority (TSP) modifies traffic signal timing by allowing an early green signal or extending a green signal for buses that are behind schedule. This $2.7 million project is a continuing partnership with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in alignment with UTA’s Five-Year Service Plan for more reliable, more frequent, and faster core route bus service. The project team is procuring and installing 330 onboard units (OBUs) to accelerate TSP deployments throughout UTA’s service area. Outfitting all transit buses with the same type of OBUs increases operational efficiency for UTA’s 15-minute core bus route network.
The project leverages innovative and future-resilient cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) OBUs (short-range radios) to be compatible with the UDOT/Panasonic connected vehicle data ecosystem. All devices are procured by UDOT on behalf of UTA through UDOT’s active contract with Panasonic and OBU vendors. UTA’s strategic partnership with UDOT for TSP C-V2X technology provides many benefits to UTA including UDOT’s funding, installation, and management of OBUs and the roadside TSP infrastructure on UDOT corridors, and other potential safety features may be enabled by this system.
UDOT’s financial contribution is up to $14,000 per intersection, 34 OBUs on UTA busses, or $17 million in total project funds for the overall system, partially funded through a Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) grant.
This project is further supported by the UTA TSP Master Plan and related UTA planning efforts including the Bus Speed & Reliability Program. While this project is dedicated to expanding and accelerating TSP implementation, TSP is only one aspect of connected vehicle (CV) technology. Connected corridors lay crucial foundations for a more efficient and safer transportation future.
Specific background examples:
Timpanogos Buses / UVX, Route 830X (Provo-Orem BRT)
• Large improvements as TSP was requested more frequently
• All 25 buses, most intersections (47)
• Operating in partnership with UDOT since 2018
• Older Dedicated Short-range Radio Communication (DSRC) technology
• UDOT plans to update TSP roadside and bus equipment in late 2023-early 2024
Timpanogos Buses / Route 850 (State Street)
• New generation cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology
• 34-bus deployment, 49 intersections
• Installed January 2023, planned deployment 2023
Mt. Ogden Buses / Ogden Express (OGX)
• Installing TSP at 19 intersections and on 11 electric buses
• Planned deployment 2023
Meadowbrook Buses / Route 217 (Redwood Road Connected Vehicle Project)
• On-time reliability +5% with 19% less schedule variability
• Limited 10-bus deployment, 30 intersections
• Operating in partnership with UDOT since 2017
• Older DSRC technology
• UDOT plans to update TSP roadside and bus equipment in 2023
Meadowbrook Buses / Route 35 (3500 South)
• UTA was recently awarded Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program funds to improve route amenities, including bus stop improvements, queue jumps, and updating outdated TSP systems
• Operating in partnership with UDOT since 2008
• Older DSRC technology
• Installing updated C-V2X TSP at 44 intersections and on 14 buses in 2023
Meadowbrook Buses / Route 200 (State Street)
• Installing TSP at 27 intersections and on 14 buses
• Partially funded by CMAQ through UDOT
• Planned deployment 2023
DISCUSSION:
TSP is a system that gives priority to public transit vehicles at intersections, allowing them to pass through more efficiently and reducing delays. Key discussion points about TSP include:
• Benefits: TSP can reduce transit travel time, increase reliability, and improve the overall customer experience.
• Cost: Outline the cost of implementing TSP, including the cost of the equipment, installation, and maintenance, including any potential cost savings from reduced transit delays and increased ridership.
• Technology: TSP is a technology-driven solution. Discuss the technology being used, including the type of equipment, the level of complexity, and the vendor(s) supplying the technology.
• Compatibility: Compatibility with other transit technologies and systems already in use by UTA.
• Implementation: Implementation plan, including the timeline, milestones, budget, potential challenges, and how they will be addressed.
• Impact: The expected impact TSP would have on traffic flow, pedestrian safety, the environment, and any potential risks or unintended consequences and how they will be addressed.
Other related TSP efforts:
• SMART grant application (UDOT, UTA, Salt Lake City)
• ATTAIN grant application (UDOT)
• UTRAC project (UDOT, UTA, WFRC)
• Regional TSP Coordination Study (UDOT, UTA, WFRC, MAG)
• Bus Speed & Reliability Program (UTA)
• SLC 200 South Project (UTA, SLC)
ALTERNATIVES:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
• Financial discussion points only:
• UTA Budget: $2,673,270 over 5 years
o Capital project code MSP270 (from 2023-2027)
• At full deployment, the operating budget is $70,000 per year
o Annual operating cost consists of $189 per OBU for Operations & Maintenance (O&M) and software security certificates, and $10,000 for overall system maintenance costs
o Future operating budget has the potential to be 100% offset by cost savings due to shorter travel times, less fuel, and more efficient bus run scheduling
• UDOT‘s partnership supports UDOT roadside installs and select UTA bus installs
o In 2023, UDOT funded 34 UTA bus installs valued at $200,000
o UDOT’s financial contribution is up to $14,000 per intersection or $17 million in total project funds for the overall system
ATTACHMENTS:
UTA Transit Signal Priority Master Plan