BPS Concept Paper

This project wiki details the concept of Bus Priority System (BPS) with G1 route as concrete example. Contents of this wiki will be used to publish a concept paper on BPS. the concept paper will be mailed to key stakeholders for the BPS proposals, like BMTC, BBMP, and Bangalore Traffic Police.

Priority for Bus - why?

Goal of Bus Priority System (BPS) is to provide priority to Buses over private transportation. BPS would provide priority to buses by speeding them up at top choke points on identified trunk routes or corridors. Choke points could be signals, or narrow or crowded sections of the target roads.

BPS and BRTS - an FAQ

Common answers to questions regarding BPS with respect to BRTS. Move to a child page here.

Choke Point based approach for G1

Method to Identify choke points: top-5 signals and top-2 crowded sections (spanning multiple short distance signals).

Scenario 1: Best case - G1 stays as it is

This scenario would throw up

  • Candidates for top-5 signals: Windtunnel Road, Suranjan Das road, Kundahalli Road, Marathahalli/ORR signal, start of Victoria Road, Agram/Victoria Road
  • Candidates for top-2 sections: LifeStyle - Richmond Road, Marathahalli Market Area, Domlur flyover to windtunnel road

Scenario 2: Worst case - with new underpasses under Signal Free DPR

Road underpasses are planned at Suranjan Das road signal, Windtunnel and Manipal Signals, and Kundalahalli Gate signal. If these do come up, the top-5 and top-2 would change.

  • top-5 signals - candidates: Marathahalli/ORR Signal, Agram/Victoria Road, Start of Victoria Road, Domlur Cross,
  • top-2 sections -  candidates: LifeStyle - Richmond Road, Marathahalli Market Area

Design Principles - Signals

Definitions

  • T-Signal - May have more than three directions merging, but major traffic flows are in three directions, in a T pattern.
  • 4-way signal - Major traffic flows are in four directions (+ pattern), though these signals may have more than four flows overall.

T signals - corridor straight

Windtunnel, Start of Victoria Road, Suranjan Das Road

T Signals - corridor bends

Kundalahalli Gate

4-way signals - corridor straight

Lower Agram/Victoria Road - towards lifestyle

4-way signals - coridor bends

Lower Agram/Victoria Road - towards Domlur

Design Principles - Crowded Sections

Wide One way - contral flow bus lane

A 3+ lane wide one way road that could provide opportunity for a dedicated bus lane in the opposite direction.

Crowded sections

Solution for crowded mixed traffic sections. Ex: Brookfields Main Road, after Kundalahalli signal, towards ITPL/Hoody.

Other Design Principles

Waiting and Onboarding Amenities

Bus Stop improvements for quick onboarding and offboarding

Routing considerations

Only special services (say G1, and 335E), possibly with a small BPS premium, allowed to make use of BPS. How many schedules can be taken up depends on practical calculation of bus throughput of BPS amenities.

Further, BPS could be operational only during morning and evening commute hours.

BPS vs BRTS - an FAQ

Common answers to questions regarding BPS concept with respect to BRTS.

What is the key difference?

Key tenets remain the same. BRTS also provides priority to the buses, but textbook implementations suggest long dedicated bus lanes, with hard separations. BPS avoides requiring long dedicated lanes, and tries to work via a combination of soft and hard measures for separation.

Isn't BRTS better?

Absolutely yes. BRTS would give much better throughputs. But many radial corridors inside the city lack consistent width, and have sizable narrow sections. Following the 2+1 lane approach of BRTS would require significant acquisition of land along those roads.

Does the city have to pick between BPS and BRTS?

No! BPS is only a journey towards BRTS. Where ever the road conditions are practically suitable for BRTS, the city is free to pick the best solution. Whereever BRTS is practically not possible, the start could be made via BPS.