A month after releasing a well-received guidebook on pop-up bus-only lanes, the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies issued an addendum with solutions to one of the biggest obstacles — lack of enforcement.
Best Practices in Implementing Tactical Transit Lanes highlights the recent surge of bus-only lanes that are “tactically implemented in dense, congested areas to speed up transit.” Tactical transit lanes, or TTLs as they’re affectionately called, are inexpensive and quick to implement, but they break down without enforcement.
“We heard concerns from planners across the country about how to effectively enforce TTLs so we went back to our partner transit agencies to reconsider what ‘tactical’ could really look like,” said Juan Matute, ITS deputy director and co-author of the report.
TTL 2.0 solves this problem completely.
Using a combination of low-cost accessories, such as plows, drill heads, continuous tracks used on tanks, and monster truck wheels, transit operators can now tactically avoid or relocate improperly parked vehicles and other offending items. The figures below demonstrate how these simple interventions can be utilized.
Figure 1: A continuous tread to break through enemy parked obstacles.
Figure 2: A redesigned plow to gently push a vehicle into its appropriate place — out of the bus lane.
Figure 3: A custom-made drill head allows buses to temporarily reroute under cars parked in the bus lane.
TTL 2.0 has already notched key successes in discouraging improper parking and improving transit speeds.
Jay Monty, aka the King of Pop-Up Bus Lanes, said this was a key aspect of the success of the program in Everett, Mass., that wasn’t fully discussed in the original report.
“Since cladding our buses in armor as if we’re off to battle in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland, we’ve seen almost perfect adherence to parking regulations,” Monty said. “Who would’ve guessed the solution to enforcement was that simple?”
A bus rider enjoying the benefits of TTL 2.0 agreed, “It’s also a surprisingly smooth ride!”
Learn more about Tactical Transit Lanes – the real ones – in our new report and blog post. Happy April Fools’ Day!
