Signal-Protected on-Street Platforms

Signal-protected on-street platforms provide safe, stepless boarding for center-running tram vehicles in constrained rights-of-way. The segment of the driving lane across the stop is raised to the sidewalk level and doubles as a boarding platform. Vehicles are prevented from running through it during the boarding and alighting process by an actuated traffic signal.

Key Facts

Stops: This solution reduces the stop penalty by enabling stepless boarding while improving safety over on-street boarding.
Left Turns: N/A
Right Turns: N/A
Parking: Parking is prohibited for safety reasons.
Enforcement: Enforcement relies on compliance with traffic signals.
Transit Signal Priority: The traffic signal protecting the platform is typically activated by an approaching transit vehicle.
Cost: Medium, as it requires reconfiguring the roadway and installing a traffic signal.

Use Cases

Signal-protected on-street platforms are a relatively niche solution, mostly deployed in German-speaking countries, notably in Austria, where it’s known as the “Wiener solution”, and are paired with ultra-low-floor trams that can achieve level boarding with platforms as low as 20 cm (7.6 in), comparable to a high sidewalk. They are normally retrofitted into legacy networks, but they have also been deployed on newly built lines.