DOCSLIB.ORG

Shoulder Rumble Strips and Bicyclists

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Shoulder Rumble Strips and Bicyclists FHWA-NJ-2002-020 SHOULDER RUMBLE STRIPS AND BICYCLISTS FINAL REPORT JUNE, 2007 Submitted by Dr. Janice Daniel National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity New Jersey Institute of Technology NJDOT Research Project Manager Karl Brodtman In cooperation with New Jersey Department of Transportation Bureau of Research and U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration DISCLAIMER STATEMENT The contents of this report reflects the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the New Jersey Department of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA–NJ–2002–020 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Shoulder Rumble Strips and Bicyclists June, 2007 6. Performing Organization Code NCTIP 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Janice Daniel, Ph.D. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity New Jersey Institute of Technology 11. Contract or Grant No. University Heights Newark, NJ 07102-1982 NCTIP – 38 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered N.J. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Final Report 1035 Parkway Avenue Federal Highway Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code P.O. Box 600 Washington, DC Trenton, NJ 08625-0600 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract This report provides a comprehensive review of existing research on the safety impacts of rumble strips to bicycles. Introduced in the early 1950s, shoulder rumble strips (SRS) have been extensively used as a countermeasure to single-vehicle run-off-the-road (ROR) accidents on freeways caused by driver inattention. Placed in the shoulder of a roadway, SRS provide motorists with both audible and tactile warning that the vehicle has left the roadway. Shoulder rumble strips have primarily been used on limited access roadways. The effectiveness of this treatment, however, has led to the consideration of using shoulder rumble strips for implementation on non-freeway roadways. There are concerns, however, that shoulder rumble strips may pose safety concerns to bicyclists using the shoulder as a bicycle path. Of concern is the potential for loss of control if the bicyclist strikes a rumble strip. Existing research on shoulder rumble strip design and placement may provide some guidelines for New Jersey in its design and placement of shoulder rumble strips. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Shoulder, Bicycle, Safety . 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification (of this page) 21. No of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 77 Acknowledgements The research presented in this report was performed with the assistance of several graduate students including: Renu Chhonkar and Susan Herman. ii Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................vi INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 Background ................................................................................................................. 1 Problem Statement...................................................................................................... 1 Objectives.................................................................................................................... 2 Organization ................................................................................................................ 2 DESIGN AND PLACEMENT OF F SHOULDER RUMBLE STRIPS ............................... 4 Types of Rumble Strips ............................................................................................... 4 Milled Rumble Strips ................................................................................................ 5 Rolled Rumble Strips ............................................................................................... 6 Formed or Corrugated Rumble Strips ...................................................................... 6 Raised Rumble Strips .............................................................................................. 6 Noise Levels ................................................................................................................ 7 Continuous Shoulder Rumble Strips............................................................................ 8 Intermittent Shoulder Rumble Strips............................................................................ 9 Travelway Offset........................................................................................................ 10 Placement Considerations......................................................................................... 12 Area Type .............................................................................................................. 12 Pavement Condition............................................................................................... 12 Bicycle Volumes..................................................................................................... 14 Roadway Volume................................................................................................... 15 CRASH ANALYSIS STUDIES....................................................................................... 16 Overview of Crash Analysis Studies.......................................................................... 16 Driver Fatigue ............................................................................................................ 16 New Jersey Run-Off-Road Accident Study................................................................ 17 Light Conditions ..................................................................................................... 18 Weather Conditions................................................................................................ 18 Road Character...................................................................................................... 19 BICYCLE SAFETY ISSUES.......................................................................................... 20 Introduction................................................................................................................ 20 Bicycle/Rumble Strip Impacts .................................................................................... 20 Bicycle Friendly Rumble Strip Designs ...................................................................... 21 Penn State Study ................................................................................................... 21 Colorado Study ...................................................................................................... 23 State Bicycle Policies................................................................................................. 24 STATE RUMBLE STRIP SURVEY AND DESIGN ........................................................ 26 Introduction................................................................................................................ 26 Rumble Strip Surveys ................................................................................................ 26 Project Survey ........................................................................................................... 26 iii Other Surveys ........................................................................................................ 27 Minnesota Department of Transportation Survey................................................... 27 FHWA Surveys....................................................................................................... 27 Ohio Department of Transportation Survey............................................................ 27 NCHRP Survey ...................................................................................................... 28 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................. 29 Introduction................................................................................................................ 29 Design and Placement Recommendations................................................................ 29 FHWA Installation Warrants ...................................................................................... 29 Shoulder Width....................................................................................................... 30 Crash Experience................................................................................................... 30 Length of Roadway ................................................................................................ 30 Bicycle Volumes..................................................................................................... 30 Speed Limit ............................................................................................................ 30 Roadway Access.................................................................................................... 31 Roadway Location.................................................................................................. 31 Bicycle Considerations .............................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Module 6. Hov Treatments
    Manual TABLE OF CONTENTS Module 6. TABLE OF CONTENTS MODULE 6. HOV TREATMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................ 6-5 TREATMENTS ..................................................... 6-6 MODULE OBJECTIVES ............................................. 6-6 MODULE SCOPE ................................................... 6-7 6.2 DESIGN PROCESS .......................................... 6-7 IDENTIFY PROBLEMS/NEEDS ....................................... 6-7 IDENTIFICATION OF PARTNERS .................................... 6-8 CONSENSUS BUILDING ........................................... 6-10 ESTABLISH GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ............................... 6-10 ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE CRITERIA / MOES ....................... 6-10 DEFINE FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ............................. 6-11 IDENTIFY AND SCREEN TECHNOLOGY ............................. 6-11 System Planning ................................................. 6-13 IMPLEMENTATION ............................................... 6-15 EVALUATION .................................................... 6-16 6.3 TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES .................. 6-18 HOV FACILITIES ................................................. 6-18 Operational Considerations ......................................... 6-18 HOV Roadway Operations ...................................... 6-20 Operating Efficiency .......................................... 6-20 Considerations for 2+ Versus 3+ Occupancy Requirement ............. 6-20 Hours of Operations ..........................................
    [Show full text]
  • American Title a Sociation ~ ~
    OFFICIAL PUBLICATION AMERICAN TITLE A SOCIATION ~ ~ VOUJME XXXVI JUNE, 1957 NUMBER 6 TITLE NEWS Official Publication of THE AMERICAN TITLE ASSOCIATION 3608 Guardian Building-Detroit 26, Michigan Volume XXXVI June, 1957 Number 6 Table of Contents Introduction-The Federal Highway Program ......... ... ................ .. .................... 2 J. E. Sheridan Highway Laws Relating to Controlled Access Roads ..... .. ....... ........... 6 Norman A. Erbe Title Companies and the Expanded Right of Way Problems ...... ............. .. 39 , Daniel W. Rosencrans Arthur A. Anderson Samuel J. Some William A . Thuma INTRODUCTION The Federal Highway Program J. E. SHERIDAN We are extremely grateful to Nor­ veloped its planning sufficiently to man A. Erbe, Attorney General of the show to the satisfaction of the dis­ State of Iowa, for permission to re­ trict engineer the effect of the pro­ print his splendid brief embracing posed construction upon adjace.nt the highway laws of various states property, the treatment of access con­ relating to the control in access roads. trol in the area of Federal acquisi­ Mr. Erbe originally presented this m tion, and that appropriate arrange­ narrative form before the convention ments have been made for mainte­ of the Iowa Title Association in May nance and supervision over the land of this year. As is readily ascertain­ to be acquired and held in the name able, this is the result of a compre­ of the United States pending transfer hensive study of various laws touch· of title and jurisdiction to the State ing on the incidents of highway regu­ or the proper subdivision thereof." lations. Additionally, we are privi­ It is suggested that our members leged to carry the panel discussion bring this quoted portion to the at­ of the American Right of Way Asso­ tention of officers of the Highway ciation Convention held in Chicago, Department and the office of its legal May 16 and 17, dealing with "Title division, plus the Office of the Attor­ Companies and the Expanded Right ney General within the members' ju­ of Way Problems".
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluation of Concrete Pavements with Tied Shoulders Or Widened Lanes Bert E
    39 19. K. Y. Kung. A New Method in Correlation Study of vision of Pavements. Proc., 3rd International Con­ Pavement Deflection and Cracking. Proc., 2nd In­ ference on Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, ternational Conference on Structural Design of 1972, pp. 1188-1205. Asphalt Pavements, 1967, pp. 1037-1046. 20. P. H. Leger and P. Autret. The Use of Deflection Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Pavement Condi­ Measurements for the Structural Design and Super- tion Evaluation. Evaluation of Concrete Pavements With Tied Shoulders or Widened Lanes Bert E. Colley, Claire G. Ball, and Pichet Arriyavat, Portland Cement Association Field and laboratory pavements were instrumented and load tested to reducing pavement performance, Because of this prob­ evaluate the effect of widened lanes, concrete shoulders, and slab thick­ lem, several states have installed costly longitudinal ness on measured strains and deflectfons. Eight slabs were tested in the and transverse drainage systems. Thus, concrete field and two in the laboratory. Pavement slabs were 203, 229, or 254 shoulders and widened lanes have the potential for curing mm (8, 9, or 10 in) thick. Other major design variables included the width of lane widening, the presence or absence of dowels or of a con­ many drainage problems as well as providing additional crete shoulder, joint spacing, and the type of shoulder joint construc­ slab strength. tion. Generally, there was good agreement between measured strains and Many design features contribute to pavement life. values calculated by using Westergaard's theoretical equations. Concrete The effect of some of these features can be evaluated shoulders were effective in reducing the magnitude of measured strains analytically.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide for HOT Lane Development FHWA
    U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration A Guide for HOT LANE DEVELOPMENT A Guide for HOT LANE DEVELOPMENT BY WITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration PRINCIPAL AUTHORS Benjamin G. Perez, AICP PB CONSULT Gian-Claudia Sciara, AICP PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM T. Brent Baker Stephanie MacLachlin PB CONSULT PB CONSULT Kiran Bhatt Carol C. Martsolf KT ANALYTICS PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF James S. Bourgart Hameed Merchant PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF HOUSTON METRO James R. Brown John Muscatell PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Ginger Daniels John O’Laughlin TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF Heather Dugan Bruce Podwal COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF Charles Fuhs Robert Poole PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF REASON PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE Ira J. Hirschman David Pope PB CONSULT PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF David Kaplan Al Schaufler SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF Hal Kassoff Peter Samuel PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF TOLL ROADS NEWSLETTER Kim Kawada William Stockton SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE Tim Kelly Myron Swisher HOUSTON METRO COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Stephen Lockwood Sally Wegmann PB CONSULT TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Chapter 1 Hot Lane Concept And Rationale........................................................................2 1.1 HOT lanes Defined .................................................................................................2
    [Show full text]
  • Freeway Management and Operations Handbook September 2003 (See Revision History Page for Chapter Updates) 6
    FREEWAY MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS HANDBOOK FINAL REPORT September 2003 (Updated June 2006) Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade and manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the object of the document. 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. FHWA-OP-04-003 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Freeway Management and Operations Handbook September 2003 (see Revision History page for chapter updates) 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Louis G. Neudorff, P.E, Jeffrey E. Randall, P.E., Robert Reiss, P..E, Robert Report Gordon, P.E. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Siemens ITS Suite 1900 11. Contract or Grant No. 2 Penn Plaza New York, NY 10121 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Office of Transportation Management Research Federal Highway Administration Room 3404 HOTM 400 Seventh Street, S.W. 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington D.C., 20590 15. Supplementary Notes Jon Obenberger, FHWA Office of Transportation Management, Contracting Officers Technical Representative (COTR) 16. Abstract This document is the third such handbook for freeway management and operations. It is intended to be an introductory manual – a resource document that provides an overview of the various institutional and technical issues associated with the planning, design, implementation, operation, and management of a freeway network.
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluation of Rumble Strip Design and Usage
    RESEARCH REPORT UKTRP-81-11 Evaluation of Rumble Strip Design and Usage by Jerry G. l'tgman Research Engineer Chief and Michael M. Barclay Fonnerly Research Engioeer Kentucky Transportation Research Program College of Englneeriog University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky in cooperation with Department of Transportation Commonwealth of Kentucky The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the UniversitY of Kentucky nor of the Kentucky Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. July 1981 Tec'hnicol Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 4. Title ond Subtitle 5. Report Date July 1981 Evaluation of Rumble Strip Design and Usage 6. Performing Organization Code 8. Performing Organization Report No. 7. Author(s) UKTRP-81-11 J. G. Pigman and M. M. Barclay 9. Performing Organization Nome and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAJS) Kentucky Transportation Research Program College of Engineering 11. Contract or Grant No. University of Kentucky KYP-75-75 Lexington, Kentucky 40506 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Kentucky Department of Transportation Final State Office Building Frankfort, Kentucky 40622 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes Study Title: Evaluation of Rumble Strip Design and Usage 16. Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the following aspects of rumble strips: the optimum height and width of elements in a rumble strip pattern, spacing between them, the effect of grouping elements into sets, the effects of speed on design criteria, and driver reaction to the audible and physical stimuli produced by rumble strips.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison of Identification and Ranking Methodologies for Speed-Related Crash Locations
    COMPARISON OF IDENTIFICATION AND RANKING METHODOLOGIES FOR SPEED-RELATED CRASH LOCATIONS Final Report SPR 352 COMPARISON OF IDENTIFICATION AND RANKING METHODOLOGIES FOR SPEED-RELATED CRASH LOCATIONS SPR 352 Final Report by Christopher M. Monsere, Ph.D., P.E., Research Assistant Professor Robert L. Bertini, Ph.D., P.E., Associate Professor Peter G. Bosa, Delia Chi, Casey Nolan, Tarek Abou El-Seoud Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Portland State University for Oregon Department of Transportation Research Unit 200 Hawthorne SE, Suite B-240 Salem OR 97301-5192 and Federal Highway Administration 400 Seventh Street SW Washington, D.C. 20590 June 2006 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA-OR-RD-06-14 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Comparison of Identification and Ranking Methodologies for Speed-Related June 2006 Crash Locations 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Christopher M. Monsere, Robert L. Bertini, Peter G. Bosa, Delia Chi, Casey Nolan, and Tarek Abou El-Seoud Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Portland State University -- PO Box 751 -- Portland, OR 97207 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Oregon Department of Transportation Research Unit 11. Contract or Grant No. 200 Hawthorne Ave. SE, Suite B-240 Salem, Oregon 97301-5192 SPR 352 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Oregon Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Final Report Research Unit and 400 Seventh Street SW 200 Hawthorne Ave. SE, Suite B-240 Washington, D.C. 20590 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Salem, Oregon 97301-5192 15.
    [Show full text]
  • Using Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion © Jupiterimages Corp
    CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE A CBO STUDY MARCH 2009 Using Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion © JupiterImages Corp. Pub. No. 3133 A CBO STUDY Using Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion March 2009 The Congress of the United States O Congressional Budget Office Preface Congestion costs highway users billions of dollars every year. Although policymakers have adopted a variety of strategies for reducing or mitigating congestion, relatively little attention has been paid to policies to promote more efficient use of the highway system. One such pol- icy is congestion pricing, under which drivers are charged a higher price for use of a highway at times or places with heavy traffic and a lower price in the opposite circumstances. This study—prepared at the request of the Chairman of the House Committee on the Bud- get—explains how congestion pricing works, reviews the best available evidence on projects that make use of such pricing in order to assess the benefits and challenges of the approach, and discusses federal policy options for encouraging congestion pricing. In keeping with the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO’s) mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, this study makes no recommendations. Scott Dennis of CBO’s Microeconomic Studies Division wrote the study, with research assistance from Jacob Kuipers and under the supervision of Joseph Kile and David Moore. Kenneth Buckeye of the Minnesota Department of Transportation; Ross Crichton of the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration;
    [Show full text]
  • Contruction of Concrete Shoulders
    Construction of Concrete Shoulders Ralph L. D uncan Field Engineer, Bureau of Construction Illinois Division of Highways Springfield, Illinois INTRODUCTION Illinois has constructed concrete shoulders on portions of three con­ tracts. During the 1963-1964 construction season, our contracts per­ mitted the contractor the option of the type of stabilizing agent to use with a gravel or crushed stone material to produce a stabilized shoulder. We had progressed to this high type shoulder as have most highway departments in order to try to reduce maintenance problems, eliminate drop-offs at pavement edges, and provide a year-round safe recovery and emergency stopping areas. W e have on the Illinois highway system earth shoulders, gravel shoulders, crushed stone shoulders, cement aggre­ gate mixtures (or CAM ) shoulders, bituminous aggregate mixtures (or BAM) shoulders, and pozzolanic mixtures (or PA M ) shoulders. None of these shoulders have proven to be trouble-free. FIRST CONCRETE SHOULDERS IN ILLINOIS—1965 In the spring of 1965, a contractor requested the division of high­ ways to consider a proposal to place Portland cement concrete shoulders in place of the options provided in the contract. After consideration by the division, it was decided to permit this change in plans. W e hoped to determine the extent of any construction problems and by observation, in future years, to see what maintenance problems might develop. This first construction of Portland cement concrete shoulders is located just north of East Peoria on U.S. 150 between Interstate 74 and Illinois 87. The project is approximately five miles long. The roadway begins at the urban limits of East Peoria and varies from a 4-foot concrete median to a 40-foot depressed median as it leaves the urban area.
    [Show full text]
  • Rumble Strip Basics for More Information About Rumble Strips in Delaware: You’Ve Probably Seen Them, Those Rows of Grooved Patterns Along the Edges of Some Roadways
    RUMBLE STRIP BASICS For more information about rumble strips in Delaware: You’ve probably seen them, those rows of grooved patterns along the edges of some roadways. You Go to safety.deldot.gov to find may have heard and felt them as well, if you have additional articles and supplemental info. ever driven over them. You are not likely to forget the sensation – the low-pitched buzzing sound as your vehicle’s tires cross the strips, and the awakening vibration that you feel. Rumble strips A proven, are an effective safety tool used to address head- effective way on and fixed-object crashes occurring on two-lane to improve rural roadways. Like Us on Facebook highway safety In the United States, rural roads account for /delawaredot and save lives. 60% of all fatal crashes; 90% of which occur on two-lane roads. Center line rumble strips alert drivers that they are drifting across the double Follow Us on Twitter yellow line into oncoming traffic. Edge line rumble @delawaredot strips warn drivers that their vehicle is drifting off the edge of the roadway onto a shoulder or unpaved area. Rumble strips are a cost-effective deterrent to roadway departure crashes, saving lives. deldot.gov 302-760-2080 RUMBLE STRIPS Noise Impacts Some concerns have been expressed that the noise generated by vehicles riding over rumble SAVE LIVES strips will become a disturbance to residents A roadway departure crash is a non-intersection crash which living nearby. The noise of a vehicle riding over occurs after a vehicle crosses an edge line or center line or rumble strips is comparable to that of a passing otherwise leaves the roadway.
    [Show full text]
  • Access Control
    Access Control Appendix D US 54 /400 Study Area Proposed Access Management Code City of Andover, KS D1 Table of Contents Section 1: Purpose D3 Section 2: Applicability D4 Section 3: Conformance with Plans, Regulations, and Statutes D5 Section 4: Conflicts and Revisions D5 Section 5: Functional Classification for Access Management D5 Section 6: Access Control Recommendations D8 Section 7: Medians D12 Section 8: Street and Connection Spacing Requirements D13 Section 9: Auxiliary Lanes D14 Section 10: Land Development Access Guidelines D16 Section 11: Circulation and Unified Access D17 Section 12: Driveway Connection Geometry D18 Section 13: Outparcels and Shopping Center Access D22 Section 14: Redevelopment Application D23 Section 15: Traffic Impact Study Requirements D23 Section 16: Review / Exceptions Process D29 Section 17: Glossary D31 D2 Section 1: Purpose The Transportation Research Board Access Management Manual 2003 defines access management as “the systematic control of the location, spacing, design, and operations of driveways, median opening, interchanges, and street connections to a roadway.” Along the US 54/US-400 Corridor, access management techniques are recommended to plan for appropriate access located along future roadways and undeveloped areas. When properly executed, good access management techniques help preserve transportation systems by reducing the number of access points in developed or undeveloped areas while still providing “reasonable access”. Common access related issues which could degrade the street system are: • Driveways or side streets in close proximity to major intersections • Driveways or side streets spaced too close together • Lack of left-turn lanes to store turning vehicles • Deceleration of turning traffic in through lanes • Traffic signals too close together Why Access Management Is Important Access management balances traffic safety and efficiency with reasonable property access.
    [Show full text]
  • Simulation and Experimental Analyses of Microscopic Traffic
    applied sciences Article Simulation and Experimental Analyses of Microscopic Traffic Characteristics under a Contraflow Strategy Leyu Wei 1, Jinliang Xu 1,*, Tian Lei 1,2, Menghui Li 1,3 , Xingliang Liu 1 and Haoru Li 1 1 School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China 2 Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin 78712, USA 3 China Harbour Engineering Company Limited, No. 9 Chunxiu Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100027, China * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-029-13709208917 Received: 28 April 2019; Accepted: 25 June 2019; Published: 29 June 2019 Featured Application: This work contributes to improving the effectiveness of the contraflow road traffic strategy for mass evacuation in the aftermath of a natural or anthropogenic disaster. Abstract: Contraflow is a common traffic strategy used to improve the capacity of outbound roads during mass evacuation. Previous studies have focused on the contraflow network configuration, travel time, and number of evacuated vehicles on a macroscopic level. Only a few researchers have considered microscopic factors, such as the contraflow characteristics and moving bottlenecks caused by coaches and trucks. In this study, the effects of the contraflow strategy were investigated through field experiments and traffic simulations. Traffic data were collected from highway segments where trucks were forbidden under regular and contraflow conditions for analysis of the traffic characteristics and the effects of coach moving bottlenecks. The results demonstrate that the capacity and flow speed of contraflow lanes are lower than normal lanes, owing to the narrow cross sections and unfamiliar driving environment. The moving bottlenecks also reduced the speed of passenger car platoons by approximately 5–20 km/h.
    [Show full text]