Economic evaluation of signal preemption projects

Preemption techniques are designed to provide preferential treatments to buses at signalized intersections. A preemption strategy, if properly designed, can provide continuous green phases to buses at successive intersections, thereby reducing delays and travel times along the bus-street. It can also potentially increase delays and travel times along the cross street. A procedure for economic evaluation of preemption projects is presented in this paper, followed by a case study demonstration. It is a variation of benefit-cost analysis that provides an estimate of the maximum investment that can be justified in a signal preemption project by way of savings in delay, fuel consumption, and emissions. The TRAF-NETSIM model was used to assess the operational consequences of signal preemption. The procedure is found viable and the case study results appear to be reasonable, and sensitive to changes in interest rates and project lives.