摘要: |
The focus of this research is the use of nubs as a location for a bus stop zone. This application of bus nubs was proposed in Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report 19, Guidelines for the Location and Design of Bus Stops (Fitzpatrick, 1996). In this report, some of the advantages cited for the use of nubs as a bus stop zone include that bus nubs: (1) remove fewer parking spaces than the traditional curb-side bus stop; (2) decrease the walking distance for pedestrians crossing the roadway; (3) provide additional sidewalk area for bus patrons to wait; and (4) result in minimal delay for the bus. When a bus stops at a bus nub, the bus remains in the travel lane, rather than weaving into and out of the curb lane as is typical of curbside bus stops. Removing this weaving has the potential of reducing conflicts between buses and other vehicles on the roadway as the bus does not have to merge back into the traffic stream after stopping at the bus stop. The safety and effectiveness of bus nubs is questioned in urban locations where heavy vehicular volumes and possible long dwell-times at the bus stop may result in increased delays and possible head-on collisions as vehicles may attempt to go around the stopped bus. Benefits attributed to bus nubs, including reduced delays to buses and traffic calming effects, must be weighed against the delays to other vehicular traffic on the roadway as well as possible safety impacts. TRCP Report 65Evaluation of Bus Bulbs, provides a review of the impacts related to bus bulbs. The findings of this study, however, may not be completely transferable to locations found in New Jersey. The research described in the report summarizes work performed on an evaluation on the effectiveness for bus nubs taking into account the particular conditions and driver population of this State. |