Lee County Route Priority Solution

The route priority solution project helped Lee County, Florida improve transit signal priority and traffic flow for bus routes. The County worked with Econolite to deploy a system that allows buses to request priority at key intersections. As a result, transit vehicles move through corridors more efficiently and stay on schedule more often.

Because bus reliability impacts ridership and service quality, the County prioritized this solution as part of its broader mobility strategy. Therefore, the route priority solution enhances both transit operations and overall traffic performance.

Route Priority Solution Overview

Transit signal priority (TSP) gives buses the ability to communicate with traffic signals so that signal timing can be adjusted in real time. This may include extending a green phase, shortening a red phase, or providing early green time when a bus approaches an intersection.

These priority requests help minimize delays at red lights and improve schedule adherence for transit vehicles. Furthermore, giving buses priority can also reduce passenger waiting times and improve reliability for riders across the network.

Deployment and Integration

Econolite deployed the route priority solution across selected corridors in Lee County. The implementation included:

• Configuring transit priority logic within traffic signal controllers
• Integrating priority detection systems with signal hardware
• Testing TSP requests and calibrating intersection response
• Coordinating with transit agencies and field operations teams
• Validating performance under real traffic conditions

These steps ensured that buses could reliably request priority and that signals responded with minimal disruption to overall traffic flow. Additionally, the system supported data collection for continuous improvements.

Supporting Transit and Traffic Technology

The route priority solution works with modern traffic management systems and detection technologies, such as:

• Centracs® ATMS for monitoring and control
• Centracs® Signal Performance Measures for analytics
• Traffic Signal Controllers configured with priority logic
• Advanced Detection Systems for vehicle presence
• Intelligent traffic sensors for detection and coverage

Integrating these systems ensures that priority requests are supported by accurate detection and signal timing logic. This gives operations staff better control and visibility over corridor performance.

Operational Benefits

The route priority solution delivers several key benefits for Lee County:

• Improved bus transit reliability and schedule adherence
• Reduced delay for priority vehicles at signalized intersections
• Enhanced corridor performance for mixed traffic
• Better transit rider experience and reduced travel time
• A platform that supports future ITS improvements

Moreover, this priority system supports future enhancements such as adaptive signal control and performance analytics. Overall, the route priority solution provides significant value to both transit users and traffic operations teams.

Explore Related Solutions

• Centracs® ATMS
• Centracs® Signal Performance Measures
• Traffic Signal Controllers
• Advanced Detection Systems
• Professional Services

Econolite’s core intelligent traffic solutions:

Cabinets | Controllers | Software | Sensors | Professional Services