[sustran] Re: BRT - switchover lanes .... alternatively, why not run on the other side of the road-divider?

[Alan Howes]

I'm interested to hear that this is done in Quito. I had considered it a possibility - but my worry was about problems at junctions and the like.  Needs thinking about.  Anyone out there who can advise?

Sujit - you say the bus lanes in Pune are "in the central" - can you be more specific? Or even better, point us to some photos of the scheme in action!

Alan

-- 
Alan Howes, Perthshire, Scotland
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peter Lutman 
  To: sri at pn1.vsnl.net.in ; Global 'South' Sustainable Transport 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:16 AM
  Subject: [sustran] Re: BRT - switchover lanes .... alternatively,why not run on the other side of the road-divider?


  I believe that the 'wrong-way' working on dedicated, segregated bus lanes is used in Quito and elsewhere in South America so that (trolley)buses with doors on the right can unload and load at central platforms. It seems to work well, but I am not sure what arrangements would be necessary if the vehicles had to leave the busway and join general traffic on a section of the route.

  Peter Lutman


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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Prof J G Krishnayya 
  To: 'Global 'South' Sustainable Transport' 
  Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2007 11:26 AM
  Subject: [sustran] Re: BRT - switchover lanes .... alternatively,why not run on the other side of the road-divider?


  Just an idea. Please shoot it down (with reasons) if it is impractical for India.

   

  Traffic in India drives on the left side of a road. In the case of a divided highway, one proposal is to run the BRTS in a separate lane (taking the place of the "Fast Lane", i.e. to the right hand edge of the left half of the road.

  This means that entry and exit from the busses would have to be to and from fresh islands in the road (since doors are on the left side of the bus) or else fresh doors would have to be cut into the bus, so that passengers can board and get off onto a central island..

  Actually, for reasons of flexibility, and if these are "Long" busses, with centre doors, it seems to me to make sense to strengthen the body and cut doors out on the right side of the bus. Then a single stop or station would exist at each location for both directions.

   

  An alternative, which I have not seen mentioned yet, is to run the BRTS busses on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. That is, busses going north would run in the grade-separated, "Fast lane" of the southbound side of the road. And busses going South would run in the fast lane of the northbound side of the divided highway.  Then one would use the normal doors (on the left side of the bus), thus eliminating any need to strengthen the chassis.

   

  Pune experience within days of the start of BRTS makes it clear that with our population density, and general attitude towards discipline in general, Grade-Separation between the normal roadway (of at least 8 inches) and the BRTS lanes, is essential to avoid many, many fatal accidents.  If the BRTS lane is grade-separated, there should be no problem about the BRTS busses running in the opposite direction to the regular stream of traffic.

   

  Contra-ideas, anyone?

   

  J G Krishnayya

  ==============

  Prof J G Krishnayya

  Director, Systems Research Institute,

  17-A Gultekdi, PUNE 411037, India

  www.sripune.org                 Tel +91-20-2426-0323

  jkrishnayya at yahoo.com       Res 020-2636-3930

  sri at giaspn01.vsnl.net.in       Fax +91-20-2444-7902
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