Article Transportation Research Record 1–12 Ó National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2018 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0361198118791914 journals.sagepub.com/home/trr Strategies and Barriers in Effective Bus Lane Implementation and Management: Best Practices for Use in the Greater Washington, D.C. Region Burak Cesme 1 , Richard Roisman 2,3 , Ramona Burns 4 , Katie List 5 , Arrianna Koudounas 2 , Jesus Cuellar 1 , Meredyth Sanders 1 , Kevin Lee 1 , and David Miller 5 Abstract Bus lanes have the potential to significantly improve bus speeds and reliability. These benefits are typically not solely achieved through the design and installation of a bus lane, however. A successful bus lane must also have sufficient public support for regulating bus lane use, as well as enforcing those regulations. Effective design, enforcement, legislation, and education strate- gies are critical during both the planning and post-implementation phases to limit bus lane violations and increase compliance, thereby improving bus lane efficiency. Despite the importance of developing a robust management plan to limit violations and maintain bus lane efficiency, there is little documented guidance for bus lane implementation and management in the litera- ture, particularly related to enforcement and education strategies. This paper develops a best practices review to respond to that gap in guidance by conducting a comprehensive literature review of best practice in bus lane management along with interviews with agency staff. The objective of this paper is to research, identify, and develop strategies to improve bus lane observance and enforcement, and to create an implementation plan for agencies with specific recommendations and strate- gies to ensure the success of bus lane initiatives. Urban areas of all sizes in the U.S. are experiencing increased vehicle congestion; in 95 of America’s 100 larg- est metro areas congestion increased from 2013 to 2014 (1, 2). While all road users experience the negative impacts of congested conditions, the effects on public transit users riding buses operating in mixed traffic tend to be more significant as transit routes are typically fixed, not allowing buses to change course to avoid congestion. Furthermore, due to frequent stops, buses generally travel in the right-hand lane, which tends to have the most ‘‘friction’’ with parking and loading activities, taxis, and right-turning vehicles. A study conducted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in 2010 showed average bus operating speeds of less than 10 miles per hour (mph) on most corridors in the Washington, D.C. region and less than 5 mph in downtown D.C. (3). Two recent mobility studies con- ducted by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) confirmed this finding and indicated that bus speeds are often less than 5 mph in central business districts (4, 5). As bus speeds continue to drop and bus performance suffers from congestion, juris- dictions have recognized and responded to the need for preferential treatments for public transit, including bus lanes. As a result, new bus lanes are operating in several U.S. cities, and many more are being planned. Bus lanes have the potential to significantly improve bus speed and reliability by limiting the negative impacts of traffic congestion (6). For transit agencies, bus lanes can result in shorter running times, as well as decreased schedule recovery times, due to improved reliability. For 1 Kittelson & Associates, Inc., Washington, D.C. 2 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Department of Transportation Planning, Washington, D.C. 3 Regional Transportation Planning Program Coordinator, Arlington County, VA 4 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington, D.C. 5 Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning, MD Corresponding Author: Address correspondence to Burak Cesme: bcesme@kittelson.com