DEVELOPMENT OF BRT NETWORK FOR VISAKHAPATNAM USING BEAD TOOL AND VISUM

Transcription

1 DEVELOPMENT OF BRT NETWORK FOR VISAKHAPATNAM USING BEAD TOOL AND VISUM G.MADHAVI M. Tech, Dept of Civil Engineering, Priyadarshini Institute of Technology and Science for women, Chintalapudi, India. J.SUPRIYA Assistant Professor, Dept of Civil Engineering, Priyadarshini Institute of Technology and Science for women, Chintalapudi, India ABSTRACT BRT can be defined as a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective urban mobility through the provision of segregated right-of-way infrastructure, rapid and frequent operations, and excellence in customer service. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems are an increasingly popular public transport option internationally. The improvement of BRT network is a difficult task which does not lend itself readily to give instant solutions available in traditional techniques. So it gives the importance of devising faster methods to obtain solutions to the network improvement. The aim of this study is to improve the existing BRT network in Visakhapatnam using BEAD Tool developed by and VISUM, the state-of-the-art planning and simultaneously assessment tool which is a comprehensive, flexible software system for transportation planning, travel demand modelling and GIS-based network data management. It helps the transportation planners to improve the existing bus network of a city. The performance evaluation of BRTS has been done using BEAD Tool and the existing BRT network in Visakhapatnam has been analyzed to find potentials and deficiencies in existing network. Rerouting of some line routes and providing new stops have been done in order to increase the area coverage by bus system. Travel time network coverage has been improved by introducing new line routes and direct services. The passenger transfer waiting time has been reduced at major terminals by means of shifting regular services at peak hours. Keywords: BRTS Network, Evaluation, BEAD Tool, Network Modelling, Travel Time, Accessibility, Passenger Transfers Waiting Time 232 INTRODUCTION Cities are not only the places where people live, they are the places, where people interact with others, feel a connection and develop their collective goals (economic prosperity, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability). It s not the technology that develops the prosperity of a city (or country) but the way the technology is being used. The problem of transportation is different from all those experienced by any city. Whenever a city becomes richer, its education, facilities, health etc. will become better except transportation, which becomes worse. The main problems that relate to transportation are congestion and pollution. These can be overcome by enhancing the effective implementation of Public Transportation. In large urban areas, there has been a growing recognition that public transportation is an important part of solutions to traffic congestion. For a public transit system to be a viable alternative to travelers, it must be able to provide its users with reasonable travel time and convenience. Travel time and convenience are largely determined by the types of services provided and available budget. However, given a budget, the configuration

2 of a transit network (TN), which includes the network layout, service frequencies, and schedules, may also have significant effects on transit service level and quality. The proper design of these network components contributes to both reducing user cost and providing high level of transit services, with a positive impact on the ridership. From the users perspective, any system should meet the demand by providing cheap and direct service to passengers. Criteria for using public transport can also include vehicle and transfer terminal comfort, regularity, and service coverage and frequency level. From the operator s perspective on the opposite, the objective is for the system to make as much profit as possible. It is the main challenge in transit planning to find equilibrium between these conflicting objectives. The transit network design problem (TNDP) consisting optimizing the main features of a transit network (line routes, frequencies, timetables, etc.) so as to optimize the value of an objective function, taking user behavior and several constraints into account. Optimizing transit network includes route network design, vehicle headway, and timetable assignment. In developing countries like India, the growth of motorized vehicles is very high especially in medium sized cities. Motor vehicle ownership and its use are growing rapidly. Many people have been forced to live in the urban periphery, in areas poorly served by transit because of low cost of land market. Because of increased congestion and lack of convenient transit services, many people are forced to purchase and use personal motor vehicles. There is a steep 233 growth of personalized motor vehicles for achieving free mobility which has led to more congestion, delays, pollution and accidents. Not only bus passengers, pedestrians and non-motorized traffic users but also personal motor vehicle users have been suffering by this rapid increase in vehicular growth. The typical conclusion to all these set of problems is to develop a set of measures needed to achieve more efficient transportation system which include improvements in public transportation systems, encouragement of non-motorized traffic, and co-ordination of land use with transportation systems. There is an urgent need to study the basic operational and performance characteristics of various public transit systems and strengthen the mass transportation by different systems and to improve their efficiency and utility. Once the importance of Public Transportation is well understood, the best alternatives should be selected for better enhancement of travel conditions for the public. In order to meet the above requirements, it is important to maintain and enhance public transit service that is accessible, reliable, convenient and affordable in Indian cities. One of such public transit systems is Bus Rapid Transit System. LITERATURE REVIEW Tanaboriboon et al. (1983) studied the impact of dedicated bus lanes in Bangkok. The paper described that the implementation of dedicated bus lanes had a positive effect on not only the level of service of buses but also other vehicular traffic. License plate technique and classified traffic flow counts

3 were used to collect the field data which comprised bus and car travel times, and traffic flow and composition. 3 major radial arterials and 2 important streets of China town in Bangkok were selected for the data collection by considering the morning peak ( 7 to 9 am) and evening peak (4 to 6 pm). Of all the study sections, one section showed some negative impact of dedicated bus lanes on car traffic because of some factors like intersection of some secondary (congested) streets, many local dead-end roads, turning movements onto and off the dead-end roads. Despite the unsuccessful service on one section, the overall implementation of dedicated bus lanes has shown a positive impact on the level of service of the buses and did not affect the level of service on other vehicular traffic. Shalaby (1999) used a macroscopic simulator TRANSYT-7F to examine changes in performance measures of through buses and adjacent traffic following the introduction of reserved lanes in an urban arterial by taking traffic and bus operations on Bay Street in downtown Toronto. TRANSYT-7F is a macroscopic simulator and signal optimization model used to examine specific impacts on modal performance of two policy measures implemented in conjunction with lane introduction. This paper suggested that if bus priority schemes like bus-only streets, bus-ways are understood and executed well, this would help in reduction of congestion in the network. Kakimoto and Mizokami (2005) developed a grouping evaluation method of business efficiency, punctuality rate and the reduction 234 management condition for individual bus route in order to distinguish the subsidized bus route efficiently in both inside and outside environment. In the inside environment, productivity and management condition of bus route, the percentage of actual passenger number to potential demand (or attractiveness of passengers) are considered as indexes aiming to identify the inefficient bus routes and quicken the improvement of them. In the outside environment, potential demand and public of bus route are selected to show the significance of bus transit for daily life. Badami et al. (2007) analyzed the performance of public bus transit in Indian cities. This paper showed that the rapid pace of urbanization is responsible for increase of MV s. The paper explores the factors that contribute to and affect efforts to improve public transportation based on financial analysis and operational performance in 4 metropolitan and 4 secondary cities. It suggested a disaggregated approach based on the needs and motivations of different groups in relation to public transit, along with improved operating conditions and policies to internalize costs of personal motor vehicle use. Zheng et al. (2007) summarized and analyzed the application effect of BRT line of Beijing in China from the management condition, service level, and social benefit. This paper presented the positive effect of the implementation of BRT in Beijing as it showed the increase in flow, volume, speed and improvement of service level, satisfaction level of the passengers, transit

4 in delay. Six sections in Beijing were selected for the study and the conditions before and after the implementation of BRT were checked. All the results has shown the impact of implementing BRT as positive, by a clear acceleration in saving travel time, speed improvement, improvement of transit efficiency, passenger s satisfaction rate, evident priority of intersection signals, and decrease in the delays. METHODOLOGY DETAILS OF METHODOLOGY IN STEPS Step 1: Goals, Objectives and Selection of planning Area The aim of the project is to improve the existing BRT network in Visakhapatnam using VISUM the state-of-the-art planning and simultaneously assessment tool developed by PTV GROUP. It will help the transportation planners to develop the methodology to improve the existing bus network and also to develop the local bus network with regard to future urban development and future extensions. Step-2: Analysis of BRT performance using BEAD Tool BEAD Tool is used to evaluate the performance of BRT corridor with respect to station design aspects. Various scenarios are created with varying inputs and the parameters which affect the score most are studied. Some of the outputs from BEAD Tool can be used as inputs for analysis using VISUM. Step 3: Detailed Modelling of Bus Network in VISUM In VISUM modelling of transport consists two parts one is the modelling of network 235 which represents modelling of supply for the transport system and other part is demand modelling. Demand Modelling: It provides travel demand data. Information on this demand within a planning area is required for the analysis of transportation networks. Network Modelling Transport Supply: A network model representing the transport system must describe the spatial and temporal structure of the transport supply. For this, the network model consists of several network objects such as nodes, links (roads), stops, zones, lineroutes and time tables. Step 4: Analyze the Existing BRT Network in VISUM Transport supply and demand results are evaluated under different aspects and graphically represented by means of different tools. Those are flow bundles, isochrones, skim matrices, lists, time table editor etc. Flow bundles are used to know the behaviour of traffic flow on different network objects such as nodes, links, zones, stop points, stop areas and stops. Isochrones for classifying the reach ability points of interest and for comparing PuT journey times and PrT travel times. Skim matrices describe different skims for each relation from origin zone to a destination zone in the traffic model. Each skim is derived from the properties of all paths found from origin zone to a destination zone (e.g. distances, etc.). Lists for all network object types, which allow a tabular display of all attribute values of a network object e.g. line routes (service kilometres).

5 Timetable editor is the graphic and tabular display of vehicle journeys. This is how volumes from the assignment can be displayed as bars for each journey. Step 5: Identification of Deficiencies in the Existing BRT Network Deficiencies in the network have been identified and these are like areas not served by bus transport, major corridors having high in number of service trips at peak hour, number of passengers transfer and transfer waiting time, line route network coverage etc., Main corridors to be identified based on bus transportation passengers volume and its service trips. They are evaluated under different aspects and it will graphically represent by means of different tools. Step 6: Options to Improve the Existing BRT Network The Identified deficiencies are to be evaluated and suggest options to improve the existing network within the planning area. Rerouting of lines, new stop points in serving and covering the areas where there is no service have been proposed for better accessibility in the bus network. The long transfer waiting time must be reduced in main terminals at the peak hour. Main corridors are to be improved by some of the suggestions provided. Step 7: Impacts of Options suggested over the Existing BRT Network Finally the impacts of improved bus network over the existing bus network are to be evaluated for performance of the improved network. The impacts should be beneficial to the passengers in terms of stops accessibility, bus network coverage, less transfer waiting time. 236 MODELLING AND ANALYSIS OF EXISTING BRT NETWORK The network model describes the supply side of the transport system consisting of several supply systems. Network model consists of several network objects which contain relevant data about the link network, the lines, and timetables. The most important network object types in VISUM are described below. Zones describe areas with a particular land use and their location in the network. They are origin and destination of trips within the transport network, which means zones and the transport network are connected with connectors. Fig. 4.3 shows planning area with zones. Nodes are objects which define the position of intersections in the link network and they are start and end points of links. Links connect nodes and thus describe the road infrastructure. A link has a particular direction, so that the opposite link represents a separate network object. Link types should be specified with number of lanes etc., Turns indicate which turning movements are permitted at a node and store the turning time penalty. Connectors connect zones to the link network. They represent the distance to be covered between a zone s centre of gravity and the nodes or stops of the network. Stops are sub divided into stop areas and stop points served by lines where passengers may board or alight.

6 Territories can be used to illustrate planning area from the entire network. Lines which are listed with a name in a timetable usually go into both directions. A line can consist of several line variants, so-called line routes which differ in their line. Line Routes which are the variants from its main line and indicates the direction of journey. Vehicle which indicates modes of transportation and combination of modes and it s total capacity which includes seating capacity and standing capacity. Time Table Editor which contains the starting time and ending time of the each bus line routes and its headway. Zones in the Planning Area The zones are created according to the Visakhapatnam BRT network map. 21 zones for PTC and 10 zones for STC with its names, centroids and boundaries are created within network for the exact positions in the planning area. The boundaries of the zones are marked with the help of territories graphical parameter using VISUM. This will help to understand about the zone to zone passengers travel and connectivity. Fig: Zones in Pendurthi Transit Corridor (PTC) Fig: Zones in Simhachalam Transit Corridor (STC) Stops in the Planning Area The nodes and links are created with their names and exact position. The links are edited with the link types. The bus stops which are served by busses within the planning area have been integrated in VISUM.13 bus stops in STC and 22 bus stops in PTC have been integrated for both the corridors. The stops can be created either on nodes or the links. The stops are created based on its location and links connected to that stops. The name of stops and exact place of the stops can be edited using VISUM. 237

7 Fig: Stops in PTC Fig: Stops in STC IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED IN THE EXISTING NETWORK AND THEIR IMPACT Establishment of new bus stops at the area not served by the existing stops within the given condition of passenger walking accessibility to the stops. The shifting of unserved stops and shifting of line routes to serve the stops in the planning area. The new line routes are created to serve the newly created bus stops within the planning area. Regular journeys are shifted from offpeak hours to the peak hours in order to reduce the passenger transfer waiting time while transferring from Adavivaram to Pedhagadili. Options to improve the existing bus network in planning area have been analyzed using VISUM and the results have been discussed below. The following indicators have been calculated to improve the existing bus network using VISUM in the planning area. Establishment of New Bus Stops Shifting of Existing Bus stops and Re-Routing of Existing Line Routes Create New Line Routes Shifting of Bus Journeys NEW LINE ROUTES The new stop points have to be included in the spatial course of the regular bus line. For this it will be redirected the course of an already existing bus line. Wherever it is possible re-route the existing line routes through the new stops within the planning area network. If it is not sufficient, cover the stops by create new line routes to serve the newly created stops in the planning area. 6,60 are the line routes that re-routed through nearby newly created stops. This rerouting of existing line routes will serve the 4 newly created stops. Fig shows the new line routes re-routed line routes and new line routes to serve the newly created stops in the planning area. 238

8 Fig. New line routes after Re-routing of line route 6 for STC TRAVEL TIME Travel time is analyzed after the improvement of the bus network. This is calculated using skim matrices. The travel times are calculated for the existing network and improved network. The travel time after the improvement shows that a reasonable amount of travel time is reduced. The average reduction in travel time is 22.91%. For example the travel time between all zones to 4 is reduced reasonably which had higher travel time before improving the network. After the suggested improvements are created or edited in the existing network, the assignment is run again for the calculation of skim matrices, which in this case is travel time. Fig: Skim matrix for zone-4 after re-routing CONCLUSIONS The following are the conclusions of the study: Accessibility of Bus Stops was improved to 500m walkable distance of passengers by providing new stops in the planning area % average reduction in travel time has been achieved by means of skim matrices for improved network. 239 Line Route Network coverage (Isochrones) has been improved by means of reduction in travel time without transfers from any point of network to Arilova bus stop. Passenger Transfer Waiting Time has been reduced to less than 10min at Gopalapatnam during peak hours. The efficiency of the Line Routes was increased by minimum of 10% in terms of Line Route Evaluation. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The following are the limitations of the study: The line route of bus network within the planning area has not been modelled for full supply but mostly of 90%. Demand matrix that has been used for this study has to be improved and more detailed data is essential. Only city ordinary and metro express services have been considered in modelling the network of this present study. SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK From the past studies, it has been observed that there is a better scope on the carried out research work. Some of the areas which require further study are as follows: Overcoming the limitations by modelling the network for full supply in network. Up scaling the results obtained to whole BRT network area.

9 Model the network for future proposed MRTS scenario. Integration of BRT with NMT facilities. Accident analysis using VISUM SAFTEY Module. REFERENCES 1. Agarwal, A., and Chakravarti, D. (2010). Planning for Accessible Transit Infrastructure-Case of Delhi BRT. Journal of Urban Transport, 9(2), Arasan, V. T., and Vedagiri, P. (2010). Microsimulation Study of the Effect of Exclusive Bus Lanes on Heterogeneous Traffic Flow. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 136, Arasan, V. T., and Vedagiri, P. (2009). Simulating Heterogeneous Traffic Flow on Roads with and without Bus Lanes. Journal of Infrastructure systems, 15, Badami, G., and Haider, M. (2007). An analysis of public bus transit performance in Indian cities. Journal of Transportation Research Part A, 41, Basics of VISUM Macroscopic Modeling. PTV Vision, Americawww.ptvap.com(Sep. 3, 2012). 6. BEAD-User Manual, SG Architects, 7. Bocarejo, J. P., Velasquez, J. M., Claudia, A. D., and Tafur, L. E. (2012). Impact of Bus Rapid Transit Systems on safety. Journal of the Transportation Research Board. No. 2317, Cervero, R., and Kang, C. D. (2011). Bus rapid transit impacts on land uses and land values in Seoul, Korea. Journal of Transport Policy, 18, Chen, X., Yu, L., Lin, Z., Jifu, G., and Sun, M. (2010). Microscopic Traffic Simulation Approach to the Capacity Impact Analysis of Weaving Sections for the Exclusive Bus Lanes on an Urban Expressway. Journal of Transportation Engineering, 136, Chen, X., Yu, L., Song, G., and Xian, C. (2012). Comparative Study of Emissions from Bus Rapid Transit and Conventional Bus Systems. Journal of the Transportation Research Board. No. 2277, Chuanjiao, S., Wei, Z., and Wang, Y. (2008). Scheduling Combination and Headway Optimization of Bus Rapid Transit. Journal of Transportation Engineering, 8(5), Ciaffi, F., Cipriani, E., and Petrelli, M. (2012). Feeder bus network design problem: a new metaheuristic procedure and real size applications. International scientific conference for Euro Working Group on Transportation,