An Analysis of the Puget Sound In-Vehicle Traffic Map Demonstration
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An Analysis of the Puget Sound In-Vehicle Traffic Map Demonstration WA-RD 737.1 Peter M. Briglia Jr. April 2010 Emily Fishkin Mark E. Hallenbeck Yao-Jan Wu WSDOT Research Report Office of Research & Library Services Research Report Agreement T4118, Task 01 Congestion Map Test AN ANALYSIS OF THE PUGET SOUND IN-VEHICLE TRAFFIC MAP DEMONSTRATION by Peter M. Briglia, Jr. Emily Fishkin Research Engineer Principal Research Engineer Mark E. Hallenbeck Yao-Jan Wu Director Ph.D. Candidate TRAC-UW Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC) University of Washington, Box 354802 University District Building 1107 NE 45th Street, Suite 535 Seattle, Washington 98105-4631 Washington State Department of Transportation Technical Monitor Ted Trepanier WSDOT State Traffic Engineer Headquarters Traffic Office Prepared for The State of Washington Department of Transportation Paula J. Hammond, Secretary April 2010 TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 1. REPORT NO. 2. GOVERNMENT ACCESSION NO. 3. RECIPIENT'S CATALOG NO. WA-RD 737.1 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. REPORT DATE An Analysis of the Puget Sound In-Vehicle April 2010 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE Traffic Map Demonstration 7. AUTHOR(S) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO. Peter M. Briglia Jr., Emily Fishkin, Mark E. Hallenbeck, and Yao-Jan Wu 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. WORK UNIT NO. Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC) University of Washington, Box 354802 11. CONTRACT OR GRANT NO. Agreement T4118, Task 01 University District Building; 1107 NE 45th Street, Suite 535 Seattle, Washington 98105-4631 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED Research Office Research Report Washington State Department of Transportation 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE Transportation Building, MS 47372 Olympia, Washington 98504-7372 Project Manager: Doug Brodin, 360-705-7972 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES This study was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. 16. ABSTRACT: The purposes of this project were to gain a better understanding of the benefits of providing in-vehicle congestion informa- tion and to determine whether any detectable congestion level changes resulted from providing this information. The project tested an in-vehicle traffic map device (TrafficGauge) using 2,215 participants from the Puget Sound region. Three rounds of surveys (Entry, Daily and Exit) took place between November 2007 and May 2008 in which participants used the TrafficGauge for six months. The project also analyzed a roadway corridor to determine, in instances of unusual freeway congestion, how traveler’s behavior affects congestion on alternative roadways. The analysis looked for correlations between the performance of the study corridor’s three freeways and four arterials using conditional probability tables. Most of the survey participants were young to middle-age males, well educated with middle or high incomes. The entry survey demographic data indicated that the participants were not representative of the general population but they were proba- bly representative of those most likely to seek and pay for traveler information, particularly information delivered by an in- vehicle congestion map device. On half the occasions when participants reported changing routines in the daily surveys, they reported not receiving any benefits. For the entire study, 25 percent of participants reported not benefiting at all from the device. Participants who changed routines saved time a mean number of 1.6 times. The mean amount of time saved on those instances was a little over 30 min- utes. Thirty-two percent of participants indicated that they did not save any time by using the device. Over 59 percent of the participants indicated that the information provided by the device reduced their level of stress. The study participants could be divided into three groups. One (about 20 percent) thought highly of the device, were con- fident that it had saved them considerable time and stress, and would purchase the device. Another (between 21 percent and 26 percent) saw little value in either the device or the information that it conveyed and would not purchase the device. The third, and largest, group saw value in the device and occasionally benefited from the information it provided. They did not, however, think that these benefits warranted purchasing the device. The corridor analysis indicated that even without arterial performance information, some travelers seek alternative routes when the freeway becomes congested. The corridor analysis confirmed that many travelers diverted either on the basis of what they see on the roadway or what they get from en-route traffic information sources. Even the modest levels of diversion observed in this study increased arterial congestion, especially near freeway ramps. This visible arterial congestion near the freeway discouraged diversion. Consequently, providing arterial performance information on the entire arterial via in-vehicle devices is likely to increase initial diversion, thereby degrading arterial performance. Roadway agencies will, therefore, need to make traffic management of the ramps and arterial segments that connect the alternate routes a priority. 17. KEY WORDS 18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22616 19. SECURITY CLASSIF. (of this report) 20. SECURITY CLASSIF. (of this page) 21. NO. OF PAGES 22. PRICE None None DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect 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 Washington State Department of Transportation or Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................... xi INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY .......................................................... 4 I. IN-VEHICLE TRAFFIC MAP STUDY ........................................................... 7 The Study Group ............................................................................................ 7 General Characteristics ...................................................................... 7 Familiarity with Technology.............................................................. 10 Commuting Behavior ......................................................................... 10 Use of Traveler Information .............................................................. 15 The Daily Surveys.......................................................................................... 20 Usage.................................................................................................. 20 Travel Changes .................................................................................. 22 Benefits .............................................................................................. 22 Change in Travel Routine ...................................................... 22 Time Savings ......................................................................... 23 The Exit Surveys ............................................................................................ 26 Perceived Benefits and Disadvantages in the Exit Survey ................ 27 Utility ................................................................................................. 28 Reliability ........................................................................................... 31 Trip Duration ..................................................................................... 32 Willingness to Pay ............................................................................. 34 Additional Taxpayer Support ............................................................. 37 Time Savings and Purchase Decisions .............................................. 38 Peace of Mind .................................................................................... 41 Location of Participants ..................................................................... 43 Arterial Information ........................................................................... 44 Effects of Earlier Access to Traveler Information Services .............. 45 Exit Survey Summary ........................................................................ 49 Conclusions: In-Vehicle Traffic Map Study ................................................. 50 v TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Section Page II. CHANGES IN ROADWAY PERFORMANCE AS A RESULT OF TRAVELER BEHAVIOR DUE IN PART TO TRAVELER INFORMATION .......................................................................................... 53 Study Location ............................................................................................... 53 Data Sources .................................................................................................. 56 Analysis Methodology ................................................................................... 57 Diversion Rate Calculation ................................................................ 61 Determining Congestion Scenarios...................................................