CTA Bus Rapid Transit (take two)

[BusHunter]

9 hours ago, Kevin said:

The Bus Tracker displays on normal bus shelters are LED displays. They have limited resolution and can't really handle things like varying font sizes and weight or high resolution iconography.

The Train Tracker (and Loop Link) signs are LCDs, the same display technology likely used by your phone, computer, and TV¹. With these displays, you have virtually unlimited possibilities on how to display information.

They're full color just like an HDTV. 

—

¹ If you see TVs marketed as "LED", they're referring to the backlight technology (LEDs rather than florescent tubes) and not the actual display technology, which is still LCD.

That's what i get for making an abstract statement. I should have phrased it how does LCD make the sign better than LED? I know the difference in the two screens (referring to Busjack's comment) But now since we're here discussing this, how is an LCD better than an LED. LED is way sharper because each pixel is lit versus the whole screen which is backlit on an LCD. That technology is older. You know how Samsung has the super amoled display, isn't that LED (it says OLED) and the result is the screen is way brighter than a traditional phone. I guess the problem here is that there are two types of LED referred here. I'm referring to a TV screen type LED and it sounds like you are referring to a dot system LED, like if you were looking at Walgreens or a CVS sign and it says Tide is on sale. It would show it in a series of dots, but there would be distortion. 

[BusHunter]

Back to our scheduled program here. OK I checked out the Loop Link tonight and yes the CTA sign at Lasalle is backlit, so that should look nice. They also have the first bike light turned on at Washington/Wells and it does display a red light for bikes when the green arrow is on. So the light cycle is green straight, red right arrow, green bicycle then when the light changes to red straight, the red right arrow turns to a green right arrow and the bike light turns red, then all lights turn red for Wells traffic. 

I looked at the queue jumps, they seem really short like 3 seconds. Heaven help if a FG bus is first in line, the other traffic will get the light before it even gets half way across the street. I think maybe 5-7 seconds would have been better. I notice not all the time does the queue jump come on. I was at Clark/Madison and the queue jump came on when there was a bus there and the next light when there was no bus no queue jump light occurred. i don't know if there could be a pressure pad nearby on the red colored pavement or what. I thought I did see the Wells/Madison one come on without a bus present though, so maybe it's a glitch. I also notice they have these black boxes by the stations that are as tall as a man. I don't know what those are, but they seem to be at some ramp entrances like the Madison/Franklin west entrance, Lasalle/Washington west entrance  Maybe an electrical box or an information kiosk of some type.

[Busjack]

8 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I should have phrased it how does LCD make the sign better than LED?

I think you figured it out. Kevin's distinction was between a Luminator sign, where you have the big LED pixels vs, an HD monitor where you have the smaller ones.

Here's a QVC on the difference between LED and LCD TVs, but it looks like the LED ones are way less expensive than the LCDs ever were. So, I don't want to get into an argument with Kevin, but maybe the sign is an HD LED color monitor. The big signs at Wrigley Field certainly are,

[Busjack]

10 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I looked at the queue jumps, they seem really short like 3 seconds. Heaven help if a FG bus is first in line, the other traffic will get the light before it even gets half way across the street.

Thinking about this, it actually isn't a queue jump, because the bus has its own lane. Queue jump is like if the bus can use the right turn lane, and then gets the preferred green light to go straight (see Pace explanation).

In that these buses do not have TSP to turn the light green for them as they leave the station,* I don't know what the 3 second advantage accomplishes.

_________

*I suppose they  could do it with a pavement sensor or traffic camera, though.

[BusHunter]

6 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Thinking about this, it actually isn't a queue jump, because the bus has its own lane. Queue jump is like if the bus can use the right turn lane, and then gets the preferred green light to go straight (see Pace explanation).

In that these buses do not have TSP to turn the light green for them as they leave the station, I don't know what the 3 second advantage accomplishes.

So is this the prototype for the Ashland and Western signal upgrades? It should be interesting having a light like that mixed with left turn signals etc. They would have to be careful to not make the signal too long or the cross traffic would just stack up.

[Busjack]

1 minute ago, BusHunter said:

So is this the prototype for the Ashland and Western signal upgrades? It should be interesting having a light like that mixed with left turn signals etc. They would have to be careful to not make the signal too long or the cross traffic would just stack up.

I think that what Pace said is the model for those 2 streets.

As for stacking up other traffic, 15 buses an hour (estimate if every 4 minutes) over a 17 mile route isn't going to interfere with cross traffic that much, and the Pace model is that TSP is not activated unless the bus is late.

[jajuan]

21 hours ago, Busjack said:

The context was a picture of Dearborn.

Go take a picture of the context you wish to describe.

And my both posts make it clear  that I was saying that the set up at Dearborn really makes sense at intersections with right turns meaning I WAS NOT speaking of Dearborn itself. This not the first time anyone has taken an original post and expanded upon what that post shows or used it to speak on a different subject than what that post is about, so I'm not about to play that silly game with you sir. You didn't catch my meaning. I clarified it for you in a second post. Case closed.

[sw4400]

Anyone notice red light cameras at these intersections where the BRT-signal lighting is? I bet you top dollar some hotshot or hotshots will use the bus priority signal to take off ahead of normal traffic, possibly cutting off the bus in the process and either forcing the bus to slam on the brakes or rear-ending/side-swiping the traffic violator.

If people can't wait for lowered gates at a railroad crossing, why would anyone think they would wait a few extra seconds for a CTA bus to get priority over them?

[Busjack]

43 minutes ago, sw4400 said:

Anyone notice red light cameras at these intersections where the BRT-signal lighting is? I

Rahm notwithstanding, red light cameras are only for revenue.

[jajuan]

55 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Rahm notwithstanding, red light cameras are only for revenue.

 

1 hour ago, sw4400 said:

Anyone notice red light cameras at these intersections where the BRT-signal lighting is? I bet you top dollar some hotshot or hotshots will use the bus priority signal to take off ahead of normal traffic, possibly cutting off the bus in the process and either forcing the bus to slam on the brakes or rear-ending/side-swiping the traffic violator.

If people can't wait for lowered gates at a railroad crossing, why would anyone think they would wait a few extra seconds for a CTA bus to get priority over them?

Well it would seem sw hit on prime set of locations for Rahm to place the next revenue getters, along the Loop Link corridor. 

[BusHunter]

Well tonight they got the lights working on the Franklin/Washington stop, so it's probably the next to be completed. It only needs Bustracker signs and a CTA brand sign.

They went gangbusters on Madison/Lasalle and Madison/Franklin installing glass dividers at both stations. The ceiling glass installation seems to be at a standstill at Washington/Dearborn. they got some digital no right turn signs on now, about 3 or 4 right around the areas of the stations.

The Washington/wells light has a new config today, now the bike light only stays on for 10 seconds and that's it. It seems like the right turn light is longer. I'm wondering how they are going to enforce all this, I don't know if that intersection will test the patience of bicyclists or not.

They actually have late night crews working at Madison/Dearborn. They seem to be doing something with the sidewalk over there as it's still tore up, plus they still have yet to put in some of the flooring at the stop there.

[BusHunter]

Surprisingly not too much was going on today. (tick tock, tick tock) But the glass canopy crew was on the ball today. They finished Washington/Clark and have moved to State/Washington where there are crates of glass on the platform. They look like they have installed the framework that holds the glass, they just need to install the glass. Madison/Dearborn is still the same. It looks like it's 3 weeks off. I wonder what happens when the station is not done for the opening, it's Sunday right? That's like 3 days away, 2 work days. They had some night crews working on Madison/Lasalle, Capitol Cement guys. Don't know what they'd be cementing. There's lots to cement at Madison/Dearborn. Maybe their at the wrong stop?

[Busjack]

11 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Madison/Dearborn is still the same. It looks like it's 3 weeks off. I wonder what happens when the station is not done for the opening,

The Upcoming Alerts do not indicate that any other stop is moving to there (compare Wells to Franklin; Clark to LaSalle; Wacker to Franklin). So, the guess is that State remains in service.

Update: Looking at the map, there is a fog around the station on Madison between Michigan and Wabash, indicating it is coming in 2016, so they'll need State for that one, too.

[BusHunter]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

The Upcoming Alerts do not indicate that any other stop is moving to there (compare Wells to Franklin; Clark to LaSalle; Wacker to Franklin). So, the guess is that State remains in service.

Update: Looking at the map, there is a fog around the station on Madison between Michigan and Wabash, indicating it is coming in 2016, so they'll need State for that one, too.

Looking at the stop elimination updates, there's like 6 of them now. They just mention Madison/Franklin, Madison/Lasalle, Washington/Franklin, Washington/Lasalle, and Washington/State opening. They don't mention Madison/Dearborn or Clark/Washington, but I can't imagine why the Clark one isn't mentioned. so i would guess that Madison/Wabash (unbuilt) and Madison/Dearborn (not done) will not open with the other 6 stations.

[jajuan]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Looking at the stop elimination updates, there's like 6 of them now. They just mention Madison/Franklin, Madison/Lasalle, Washington/Franklin, Washington/Lasalle, and Washington/State opening. They don't mention Madison/Dearborn or Clark/Washington, but I can't imagine why the Clark one isn't mentioned. so i would guess that Madison/Wabash (unbuilt) and Madison/Dearborn (not done) will not open with the other 6 stations.

From what I was able to see this evening, the bus lane on Washington is actually open now once you pass Franklin. Stations that have been completed are also in use. Couldn't tell you how smoothly buses make it through there though because the #157 I was riding had to detour at La Salle because of the latest protest coming off La Salle onto Washington and blocking the street.

[BusHunter]

5 hours ago, jajuan said:

From what I was able to see this evening, the bus lane on Washington is actually open now once you pass Franklin. Stations that have been completed are also in use. Couldn't tell you how smoothly buses make it through there though because the #157 I was riding had to detour at La Salle because of the latest protest coming off La Salle onto Washington and blocking the street.

I went through there about 2 hours after your post, everything still is the same as before but they did turn on the lights now at all the stations, even Madison/Dearborn which still has holes in the platform floor. They finished the glass canopy at State/Washington so all Washington stations should have finished glass installations.

Now they did open the Washington/Lasalle stop, it looked to me like they were checking out clearances, operators etc, cause there was a man with a CTA vest and clipboard there. There didn't seem to be any passengers at the stop, so it's sort of confusing if it's an actual stop yet. The #56 operator seemed like he didn't know whether he should get in the loop link lane or not, but buses were flowing excellent through those lanes. I think the bigger issue is what happens when there are hoardes of buses, the #J14 might complicate this. Will buses be allowed to pull out of the lane and pass slower ones cause the boarding times of an artic are longer than a traditional bus? This is sort of similar to the State street mall effect and should be interesting to see how it works. They also have the bustracker sign at the stations flashing the weather conditions just like the "L" tracker signs, so they are in the home stretch.

[jajuan]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

I went through there about 2 hours after your post, everything still is the same as before but they did turn on the lights now at all the stations, even Madison/Dearborn which still has holes in the platform floor. They finished the glass canopy at State/Washington so all Washington stations should have finished glass installations.

Now they did open the Washington/Lasalle stop, it looked to me like they were checking out clearances, operators etc, cause there was a man with a CTA vest and clipboard there. There didn't seem to be any passengers at the stop, so it's sort of confusing if it's an actual stop yet. The #56 operator seemed like he didn't know whether he should get in the loop link lane or not, but buses were flowing excellent through those lanes. I think the bigger issue is what happens when there are hoardes of buses, the #J14 might complicate this. Will buses be allowed to pull out of the lane and pass slower ones cause the boarding times of an artic are longer than a traditional bus? This is sort of similar to the State street mall effect and should be interesting to see how it works. They also have the bustracker sign at the stations flashing the weather conditions just like the "L" tracker signs, so they are in the home stretch.

OK. I could see that the lane was open and had the barricades taken down, and I thought to myself that this could really indeed be a time saver because the car traffic was heavy with rush hour starting to kick in and the bus lane was pretty clear. I could see that had my bus been allowed to keep straight, it would have buzzed right on through past all the cars. I did see a few cars try to sneak into the lane, but some of the cops that were down there to help keep things peaceful made them get right back out of the lane the drivers told they weren't allowed to cross into the path of that lane except the specifically marked points to get to a right turn lane. I didn't get to get a clear look at Madison. Was the lane clear there as well?

[BusHunter]

21 minutes ago, jajuan said:

OK. I could see that the lane was open and had the barricades taken down, and I thought to myself that this could really indeed be a time saver because the car traffic was heavy with rush hour starting to kick in and the bus lane was pretty clear. I could see that had my bus been allowed to keep straight, it would have buzzed right on through past all the cars. I did see a few cars try to sneak into the lane, but some of the cops that were down there to help keep things peaceful made them get right back out of the lane the drivers told they weren't allowed to cross into the path of that lane except the specifically marked points to get to a right turn lane. I didn't get to get a clear look at Madison. Was the lane clear there as well?

No only from just after Franklin on Washington until just after Lasalle. So like two blocks. The buses and traffic flow really well isolated in each others lanes, but only the #56 was present. This was in the 6:00 PM hour. I'd like to see how it is at 4:00 PM. I saw some crazy taxi driving in the bike lanes on Franklin. You know how they have the pedestrian island on the corner with the green in the roadway part surrounding concrete sidewalk on both sides. Well he went right through it. they should have made it more narrow so a car couldn't fit between it.

Madison has not changed yet. They had a cherry picker at Franklin/Madison looks like they may want to do the glass canopy installation there next. I don't know where they are going to squeeze in Lasalle/Madison's glass canopy maybe overnight on saturday? I still don't think Madison/Dearborn is opening yet cause it needs too much to be done to it.

[Juniorz]

I'm just going to say this, Washington/Lasalle is the template for how all looplink stations will look. Very impressed how traffic aligned with the revised street alignments and the buses traveled through the bus-only lanes with ease (guess the real test will come during Monday's Rush Periods. Stations are very reminiscent of 'L' stations and features some 'L' amenities such as information display boards, security cameras (YES, they are watching!) and exclusive station branding throughout the station. Some stations will feature only black-bus stop signs posted (not the information display detailing services like Lasalle) Overall, I am very impressed and kind of wished the cta would have done this type of extensive work to the Jeffery Jump (which has sort of been kind of a disappoint).   

[Juniorz]

Service Alerts are posted at select 124 and J14 stops denoting the service realignment to serve the LoopLink corridor along Washington and LoopLink service brochures are now available detailing the LoopLink service corridor

[Busjack]

9 hours ago, Juniorz said:

Overall, I am very impressed and kind of wished the cta would have done this type of extensive work to the Jeffery Jump (which has sort of been kind of a disappoint).   

The issue there was $10 million to demonstrate "some features" of BRT and put some equipment on the buses, as opposed to $30+ million only tor CDOT work.

[BusHunter]

Last night they had put up the glass dividers for Madison/Dearborn, so all stations have the glass dividers now. They had put up the framing for the canopy glass for Madison/franklin and Madison/Lasalle but no glass was in place. They finally turned on the bike signal at Washington/Clark. They had crews still working at Madison/Dearborn when I passed by last night, they had fixed the holes in the floor of the station and were working on the nearby sidewalk so maybe they were trying to open that station for today also.

[jajuan]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

The issue there was $10 million to demonstrate "some features" of BRT and put some equipment on the buses, as opposed to $30+ million only tor CDOT work.

Yup. Jefferey Jump was done with far less funds made available as well as taking advantage the already existing condition of Jefferey Boulevard having peak direction rush hour parking restrictions which enabled them to place the current bus lanes that are in use peak direction during those exact times of the parking ban. So there wasn't going to be that much as far as BRT elements were concerned. Heck 103rd has strayed further from that with half the buses used on the route now being unwrapped artics and some occasional use of 40 foot NFs. 

[Kevin]

Things seem to be going well so far today. Drivers are generally avoiding the bus lanes, allowing buses to easily pass the congested car lanes.

Destination signs now all include "via Loop Link."

I noticied that the bus signals are indeed now only triggered when there's actually a bus in the lane.

[Juniorz]