News Release

Release date: March 28, 2000

Test in Rainier Valley for new system to move Metro buses faster and more smoothly

Testing begins in April in South Seattle on a high-tech system that holds the promise of moving Metro buses and passengers faster and more smoothly through busy arterials.

The Transit Signal Priority technology allows approaching buses to communicate with an approaching traffic signal and ask it to hold the green light for the bus. A transponder installed on the bus sends a signal to a controller on the traffic light. These modest adjustments to signal timing allow up to 12 eligible buses per hour to move through these each intersections more quickly and with fewer stops. The goal is to speed overall transit travel time in the corridor.

"As congestion gets worse along I-5, more cars are coming off the freeway and using surface streets like Rainier Avenue to get into the city," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "We can’t build another lane of roadway, but we can be smarter about the way we use the lanes we have. This kind of ‘intelligent transportation system’ will improve service for our transit riders, and I deeply appreciate the collaboration of the Mayor’s office and Seattle Transportation in developing this technology."

In early tests, Transit Signal Priority has been found to reduce travel time for passengers by 10 to 15 percent, with fewer stops and starts, and no significant impact on general traffic flow and nominal delay to side streets. Those early results showed a 50 percent reduction in the number of times stops buses made had to stop for a red light, saving time and reducing passenger delays. The system has been operating transparently for the past several weeks on Rainier Avenue South, at five of the nine intersections between South Alaska Street and 23rd Avenue South.

During the month of April, data collectors in orange vests will be stationed along that corridor, tracking and timing the movement of buses and cars along Route 7 to help evaluate the system. Route 7 carries two million passengers a year into downtown Seattle.

A similar effort is planned later this year on Aurora Avenue North, another major arterial. These improvements as are part of the an ongoing, joint effort between the transportation departments of the City of Seattle and King County to implement the Seattle Transit Initiative to improve flow on heavily traveled transit corridors.

The demonstration on Rainier Avenue is supported by grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Citizens with comments or who want desire more information should feel free to call Metro Transit at (206) 684-1604 or SEATRAN at (206) 684-ROAD.

For more information about the Transit Signal Priority system please contact:

King County: Leonard Madsen in the King County DOT Transit Speed and Reliability Program at (206) 684-1604 or via e-mail at len.madsen@metrokc.gov.

City of Seattle: Michael Graubard, SEATRAN, (206) 684- 5049 or via e-mail at michael.graubard@ci.seattle.wa.us.

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