2014 - India - Urban Road Side Friction at Bus Stops

Traffic characteristics of a roadway are influenced by various factors like surface type, shoulder and roadway width, terrain, driver skills, side friction or side activities, road maintenance, etc. However for urban roads, the impact of side frictions i.e. bus stops, encroachments, on-street parking, etc. is much significant than any other factor. The extent of on-street parking and encroachment is generally high in developing countries where many activities often take place at the edge of urban roads. Their impact on traffic characteristics can be minimized by imposing few restrictions. Conversely bus stops are to be constructed by the authorities at different locations near or at the edge of urban roads. Bus stops are the designated places where passengers board and alight public transport buses. Different types of bus stops like curbside stops, bus bays, queue jumpers and nubs have significant effect on traffic flow. This paper reviews the literature on the effect of curbside and bus bay stop on urban traffic characteristics. It has been observed that presence of a bus stop ominously reduces the stream speed and capacity of an urban road. The present paper also suggests few areas where further work can be taken up by the researchers.