Contraflow Bus Lane

The transit element involves utilizing the inside
off-peak lane as a bus-only lane
a bus-only lane in the peak
direction. In the morning peak,
In the morning peak, as the inbound

lanes are heavily used, the median (inside) lane in
the outbound direction is separated from the normal
flow by removable safety posts in order to allow
Metropolitan Transit Agency buses to proceed unimpeded
inbound. The afternoon procedure is reversed, with
the buses running contraflow on the inbound side
of the highway. Notice of this changing lane
configuration is provided by overhead variable message
signs displaying "MTA Bus Only" in the bus direction
and "Lane Closed" in the normal traffic direction.

As originally planned and executed, MTA scheduled 41 buses in the a.m. and 41 buses in the p.m. This has been reduced to 61 total in response to schedule adjustments and ridership patterns. Park-and-ride facilities are provided at pickup points to encourage transit usage, as are walk-up bus stops. The buses, termed "Blue Dash" serve the Central Business District,

Brickell Avenue, the Civic Center and the Miami Herald/News area with peak hour service for 50¢ or 60¢ depending on the boarding point. From the feeder points in the a.m. in the a.m. the buses enter the contraflow lane at Sunset Drive proceding north to S.W. 16th Avenue, where they re-enter into mixed mode. In the p.m., the buses enter via a paved crossover in the median between 16th Avenue and I-95 and proceed south to Sunset Drive.

Priority Carpool Lane

The carpool lane involves a preferential peak flow lane for passenger vehicles with two or more occupants. The lane is not restricted as to distance traveled, to facilitate use for persons wishing to enter or exit the highway. The overhead variable message signs are designed to delineate the carpool lane when the lane is open for that use. Once again, the lane is open in the peak direction from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 P.m. Enforcement of this lane, as well as the bus lane, is accomplished by mobile police personnel patrolling at strategic points along the 5.5 mile corridor. The lane is designed to encourage the more efficient use of the automobile by giving carpoolers a time advantage over single occupant vehicles.

The operational improvement package is designed to improve traffic flow along an 18.5 mile portion of U.S. 1 between S.W. 200th Street and I-95. The package involves three basic signalization improve

ments:

This

8. Changing the off-set relationships to
reference each signal to the green
indication instead of the yellow.
serves to improve green time utilization
by vehicle platoons by providing pro-
gression for the beginning of each platoon
instead of the end of the platoon.

b.

c.

Extending the cycle length of the signal system from 90 to 100 seconds, giving the extra time to traffic on the U.S. 1 corridor. This provides greater traffic flow along the corridor.

Reduce certain multi-phase signals to two
phases by eliminating or restricting left
turns at some intersections and providing
ground loop patterns as alternatives.

Questions

1.

2.

3.

What alternative operating strategies or policies would you have considered in this corridor.

What would have been the effect of defining a carpool
as three persons.

Comment on the level of transit service being provided in this corridor.

CHAPTER VII

TRANSIT FACILITY DESIGN

The El Monte Busway Station (1)

Case Study No. 9

(1) Source: Excerpted from Second Year Report, San Bernardino Freeway Express Busway Evaluation, Bigelow-Crain Associates,

May 1975.