FREEWAY MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS HANDBOOK FINAL REPORT September 2003 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 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. The goal is to provide the user with a better understanding the wide variety of potential strategies, tools, and technologies that may be used to support management and operation of the freeway network. The Handbook addresses the major changes in technology (e.g., ITS and architectures) that have occurred since the last Freeway Handbook was prepared. It also considers a broader view as well, including freeway management in the context of the entire surface transportation network, lane management concepts, roadway improvements (both geometric and operational), performance monitoring and associated measures, established processes for dealing with the risks associated with technology – intensive systems, and the role of freeway management during emergencies and evacuations. Specific chapters include Introduction (background on the freeway network, definitions, congestion, safety, mobility), freeway management and the surface transportation network (the various interdependencies during the facility’s life –cycle, freeway management programs, performance monitoring and evaluation, roadway improvements, roadway operational improvements (e.g., signs and markings), ramp management, lane management, HOV facilities, traffic incident management, planned special event management, freeway management during emergencies and evacuations, information dissemination, transportation management centers, surveillance and detection, regional integration, and communications. 17. Key Word 18. Distribution Statement Freeway Management, Highway Management, Freeway No Restrictions Operations, Highway Operations, ITS, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Traffic Management, ITS Benefits, National ITS Architecture, Regional Architectures, traffic flow, performance measures, 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified Pages 564 i Freeway Management & Operations Handbook Forward FOREWORD Over the past three decades, the practice of freeway operations has matured. Strategies have evolved, techniques have been developed, and new technologies (ITS) have emerged. Traffic operation centers have reported successes and failures as lessons learned. The intelligent transportation community has quickly incorporated those lessons, and the resultant systems have progressed with each new generation of the freeway traffic management system. The profession’s view of freeway management and operations has also changed. Freeway management strategies and concepts were initially developed to counter congestion. That is still a major goal, along with enhance safety. But freeway practitioners are also beginning to view themselves as good stewards and responsible managers, managing not only the traffic flow on the network but also the being more proactive in addressing potential problems, rather than merely reactive. Moreover, part of this stewardship includes managing the elements of the network itself (e.g., asset management), not just the traffic flow. Another important consideration in this regard is that transportation is becoming increasingly customer-driven, with a need to view the network at more of a regional scale. This expanded view of freeway operations and management is reflected in the key and recurring themes in this Handbook, including: • Even though their primary responsibility may be the freeway network, practitioners must not address freeway management and operations in a singular, isolated manner. Accordingly, freeway managers must view the overall performance of the transportation network as a whole, and consider a vast array of potential actions to improve its performance. This may mean looking beyond the “typical” freeway management and operation alternatives and technologies. • Freeway management and operations extends beyond ITS and electronic systems. Freeway managers must be familiar with all of the tools available to improve the safety and efficiency of the freeway system, including major roadway improvements, minor roadway improvements, and traditional traffic control devices (such as, static signing, pavement marking, and illumination systems); and look for appropriate opportunities to utilize these tools. • Several processes have been instituted for developing transportation programs, planning and prioritizing potential improvements, and defining individual projects and strategies. Freeway management and operations should be an integral part of the established processes within an agency. Moreover, the freeway management practitioner must be cognizant of and, to the greatest extent possible (commensurate with his/her responsibilities), participate in these processes ensuring that freeway management and operations receives appropriate consideration. i Freeway Management & Operations Handbook Table of Contents Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Scope of Freeway Management and Operations ........................................................1-1 1.1.1 Importance of Freeway Management & Operations.............................................1-2 1.1.2 Wile E. Coyote and Freeway Performance ..........................................................1-4 1.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................................1-6 1.2.1 Why This Document Is Needed............................................................................1-7 1.3 Intended Audience.......................................................................................................1-8 1.4 Overview......................................................................................................................1-9 1.4.1 The Problem.........................................................................................................1-9 1.4.2 The Future..........................................................................................................1-11 1.4.3 Homeland Security and Other Emergencies ......................................................1-12 1.4.4 Potential Solutions..............................................................................................1-12 1.5 Definitions and Concepts...........................................................................................1-15 1.5.1 Freeways............................................................................................................1-15 1.5.2 Congestion .........................................................................................................1-16 1.5.3 Safety .................................................................................................................1-21 1.5.4 Freeway Management and Operations ..............................................................1-22 1.5.5 Institutional Considerations................................................................................1-26 1.5.6 Other Considerations.........................................................................................1-27 1.6 How to Use This Document.......................................................................................1-28 1.6.1 State of the Art and State of the Practice ...........................................................1-28 1.6.2 Key Themes .......................................................................................................1-29 1.7 Document Organization.............................................................................................1-31 1.8 References ................................................................................................................1-35 2. FREEWAY MANAGEMENT AND THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK .......................................................