Queue jump

A queue jump is a type of roadway geometry used to provide preference to buses at intersections, often found in bus rapid transit systems. It consists of an additional travel lane on the approach to a signalised intersection. This lane is often restricted to transit vehicles only. A queue jump lane is usually accompanied by a signal which provides a phase specifically for vehicles within the queue jump. Vehicles in the queue jump lane get a "head-start" over other queued vehicles and can therefore merge into the regular travel lanes immediately beyond the signal. The intent of the lane is to allow the higher-capacity vehicles to cut to the front of the queue, reducing the delay caused by the signal and improving the operational efficiency of the transit system.

Design Considerations

Queue jumps are only effective in certain situations. First, there has to be an existing source of delay or roadway congestion; if there is no congestion and the normal traffic signal is usually green, then the bus driver has no reason to move into the queue jump. The length of the queue jump lane needs to be long enough to provide a meaningful time savings. Queue jumps can also be used in situations such as bus stop pullouts or at the end of a bus-only lane, in order to help expedite the bus merge into traffic. Queue jumps may not work well where there are high volumes of right turning vehicles (left turning in UK) that might get in the way of the bus through movement, although in some cases these turning vehicles can be provided a separate lane and/or a protected signal phase at the same time as the advanced transit phase. Available right-of-way is needed to provide the bypass lane.