RapidTO: Example Priority Solutions

Transit priority solutions aim to improve the speed and reliability of bus, streetcar and Wheel-Trans services. Through the RapidTO: Surface Transit Network Plan, the City and TTC will study, design and engage with the public to determine the most effective transit priority solutions for each roadway.

Examples of priority solutions include:

HOV lanes are designed to move more people efficiently by prioritizing vehicles carrying multiple passengers. These lanes are reserved for specific types of vehicles during peak periods or all day.
Look for road markings and signs that identify vehicle types, passenger requirements and time-of-day restrictions to know how to use them. Vehicles typically allowed include:
  • Buses (including school buses and buses operated by agencies other than the TTC)
  • Wheel-Trans vehicles (including buses and third-party contracted taxis)
  • Licensed taxis and limousines
  • Bicycles
  • Emergency and other City services (including police, fire, paramedics and garbage trucks)
  • Motorcycles
  • Vehicles with Ontario green licence plates
  • Vehicles with two (HOV2+) or three (HOV3+) or more passengers
25B Don Mills bus travelling in the HOV lanes on Don Mills Road. Other vehicles are travelling in the same direction, adjacent to the curb lane that the HOV lane is using.
Example of an HOV lane: Don Mills Road/Overlea Boulevard/Pape Avenue, between Finch Avenue East and Danforth Avenue.
Transit priority zones are areas on the road, often found in busy downtown areas, where public transit is given priority to help keep buses and streetcars moving smoothly.
These zones may limit general traffic but still allow access for specific uses depending on signage and pavement markings.
This can include:
  • Local access for residents and businesses
  • Curbside pick-up and drop-off zones
  • Taxi stands
People boarding/alighting a streetcar on King Street
Example of transit priority zone: King Street Transit Priority Corridor.

Queue jump and bypass lanes are short lanes, often installed in right-turn lanes, designed to give buses and Wheel-Trans vehicles a head start at signalized intersections. These lanes help public transit vehicles move past traffic waiting at the intersection, improving travel time and reliability.

Queue Jump Lanes

Queue jump lanes allow public transit vehicles to pass through an intersection and merge back into the regular curbside lane after crossing.
A queue jump lane allows buses to manoeuvre around an extended through-traffic queue, load/unload passengers and proceed ahead of the general traffic queue.
Example of a queue jump lane paired with a near-side transit stop. Illustration: Metrolinx

Queue Bypass Lanes

Queue bypass lanes work similarly to queue jump lanes but typically include a dedicated receiving lane on the other side of the intersection for transit vehicles to continue smoothly.
A queue bypass lane allows buses to manoeuvre around an extended through-traffic queue, proceed through the intersection with assistance of transit signal priority, and load/unload on the far-side of an intersection in a receiving bus-only lane
Example of a bypass lane paired with a far-side transit stop. Illustration: Metrolinx

Bus bays and bus bulbs are designed to provide safe and convenient spaces for buses and Wheel-Trans vehicles to pick up and drop off passengers while minimizing disruptions to traffic.

Bus Bays

Bus bays are indented areas of the vehicle lane where buses and Wheel-Trans vehicles pull over to pick up and drop off passengers. This helps improve traffic flow for other road users, but public transit vehicles may experience delays re-entering traffic.

Buses moving into bus bays to stop at a bus stop
Example of a bus bay that allows a bus to pull into a stop and allow passengers to board without blocking traffic. Illustration: Metrolinx.

Bus Bulbs

Bus bulbs are curb extensions that allow buses and Wheel-Trans vehicles to pick up and drop off passengers without leaving the lane. Bus bulbs help public transit vehicles move faster and more reliably by decreasing the time lost when merging in and out of traffic but may cause slight delays for other road users.
Bus pulling into bus bulb with car behind it.
Example of a bus bulb, which is an extension of the sidewalk or boulevard pavement into the roadway. Illustration: Metrolinx

Strategically placed transit stops before (near-side) or after (far-side) an intersection can help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.

Near-side Transit Stops

Near-side transit stops are located just before an intersection, allowing buses, streetcars and Wheel-Trans vehicles to pick up and drop off passengers while waiting for a red light.

Far-side Transit Stops

Far-side transit stops are located just after an intersection, enabling buses, streetcars and Wheel-Trans vehicles to move through the intersection first and then stop to pick up and drop off passengers.

Signage and pavement markings help identify lanes with restrictions or limited users. For example, priority bus lanes are usually marked with signs, pavement markings and red paint to show they are for specific users.

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is a tool used to help buses and streetcars move more efficiently by giving them extra green light time at intersections. It’s already in place along many priority roadways approved for roadway-specific studies.

However, when roads are heavily congested or transit routes are very busy, TSP alone may not be enough to significantly improve travel times, especially when buses and streetcars still share lanes with mixed traffic. TSP works best when paired with priority transit lanes, which help keep TTC vehicles moving reliably and on schedule.

As part of all RapidTO projects, traffic signal timing and coordination will be updated to better support transit flow during implementation.

Learn more about the types of TSP used in the city and where they are implemented.