Transit priority solutions improve the speed and reliability of bus and streetcar service. Giving buses or streetcars priority on a street can be achieved through a range of solutions.
The transit priority solutions used on Toronto’s roadways will be selected through extensive study, design work and consultation with the public for each roadway.
Once implemented, the success of transit priority roadways will be determined by assessing bus reliability, travel times for buses and autos, average wait time for buses and positive impacts on equity.
Examples of priority solutions that may be implemented include:
A bus stop that requires a bus to leave the travel lane to load and unload.
An extension of a sidewalk that allows buses to load and unload without leaving the travel lane.
Public transit stops are located after the intersection. This allows public transit vehicles to pass through a signalized intersection without stopping beforehand and potentially missing a green light cycle.
Public transit stops that are located before an intersection. This allows public transit to take advantage of a red phase at a traffic signal in order to board and alight passengers.
A dedicated public transit or turning lane that allows public transit vehicles to bypass traffic queues through a signalized intersection, typically with a receiving lane on the other side of the intersection.
A dedicated public transit or turning lane at a signalized intersection that allows public transit vehicles to avoid traffic queues, typically with a bus-only traffic signal phase that allows buses to proceed ahead of general traffic.
Using road signs and pavement markings to clearly identify lanes that have restrictions and/or limited users. For example, high-occupancy vehicle or dedicated lanes are typically marked with a different kind of striping to make clear that the lane has limited users.
Provides vehicles with as many green signals as possible to ensure vehicles are able to travel quickly along a roadway. This minimizes travel time in the coordinated direction but needs to be carefully managed when two major roadways intersect.
Changes to traffic signal timings that reduce the time that public transit vehicles spend waiting at red lights.
A dedicated transit lane for buses that travels in the opposite direction to adjacent traffic.
A dedicated outside lane beside the curb for bus use only.
Lanes reserved for transit use or shared with bicycles, taxis and vehicles with three or more passengers. Lanes can be reserved full-time or only be reserved for specific times of the day or days of the week.
A dedicated inside lane (i.e. not in the median or curb) for bus use only.
A repurposed roadway, typically in downtown areas, that is used by public transit and closed off to general traffic.
