INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS A TOOLBOX FOR ALLEVIATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ENCHANCING MOBILITY DOT/FHWA 150240 A TOOLBOX FOR ALLEVIATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ENHANCING MOBILITY Institute of Transportation Engineers Prepared by Michael D. Meyer, Ph.D., P.E. Georgia Institute of Technology The Institute of Transportation Engineers published the first edition of&e Toolbox in 1989. Thii edition was one of the first efforts to develop a comprehensive summary of all the tools available to “solve” the urban con- gestion problem.We have learned much since 1989, and much has happened in the way of how we look at the urban transportation system and the types of strategies that can now be considered in a toolbox. Perhaps most dramatically, we are now seeing the initial application of advanced electronic technologies to better manage the transportation system. Known as intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies, these tools are laying the foundation for the management of system operations that will be the basic component of many urban areas’ transportation strategy in the not-too-distant future. In addition to ITS, there are several other tools discussed in this edition that are not found in the earlier ver- sion. These include: nonmotorized transportation, transit-oriented development and urban design, traffic calming, freight movement, congestion pricing, intermodal terminals, and multimodal corridor investment. The remaining sections from the 1989 edition have been greatly expanded and updated. In many cases, the original chapters have been kept largely intact with new material added.The authors of the original chapters were: Chapter 1, Dr. Michael Meyer; Chapter 2, Thomas E Humphrey; Chapter 3, Dr. Michael Walton; Chapter 4, Katherine Hooper and Robert Stanley; Chapter 5 and 6, C. Kenneth Orski; and Chapter 7, Peter A. Peyser Jr. This edition was prepared solely by Dr. Michael Meyer. A final acknowledgement must be given to Stephen C. Lockwood, whose ideas expressed in a 1988 presenta- tion at the Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board entitled, “Kaleidoscope or Map: Suburban Congestion and Institutional Barriers” served as the basis of the “toolbox” analogy developed in this docu- ment. Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of infor- mation exchange The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The contents of this document reflect the views of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the information.The con- tents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the Department of Transportation.This document does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation FHWA-SA-98436 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A toolbox for alleviating traffic congestion and enhancing mobility. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN o-935403-12-4 1. Traffic congestion. 2. Traffic flow. 3. Traffic engineering. I. Institute of Transportation Engineers. HE336.C64T662 1996 388.3'14--dc21 98-4639 CIP Printed in the United States of America US, Deaprtment of Transportation ite Federal Highway Administration Institute of Transportation Engineers 525 School St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2797 USA Telephone: +1 (202) 554-8050, Fax: +1 (202) 863-5486 ITE on the Web: http://www.ite.org c 1997 Institute of Transportation Engineers. All rights reserved. Publication No. IR-054B 1.7M/BP/298 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface........................................................... CHAPTER ONE - Traffic Congestion: An Overview......................... 1 Why Worry? ......................................................... 2 Transportation Today and Tomorrow....................................... 4 Mobility and Accessibility: The Bigger Picture..................... 8 Can Anything Be Done?...................................... 9 Mobility and Congestion as an Areawide Multimodal Phenomenon: Development of a Coordinated Program................................... 10 A Mobility/Congestion Reduction Toolbox................................. 15 Intelligent Transportation Systems.................................. 16 Benefits and Costs.............. ...................................... 17 Commitment, Process and Public Involvement..................... ... 19 CHAPTER TWO - Highways: Getting the Most Out of the Existing System . .23 Urban Freeways..................................................... 23 l Freeway Incident Detection and Management Systems..................... 23 l Ramp Metering................................................. 33 l Highway Information Systems....................................... 36 l Freeway Corridor Traffic Management (Including Arterial Surveillance and Control)............................ 39 l Providing Additional Lanes without Wrdening the Freeway................... 43 l High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Facilities............................... 46 l Park-and-Ride Facilities.............................................. 55 l Highway Pricing Strategies............................................ 58 Arterials and Local Streets: Design......................................... 58 l Super Street Arterials............................................. 58 l Intersection Improvements........................................... 60 l One-Way Streets................................................. 61 l Reversible Traffic Lanes............................................. 63 l Arterial Access Management...................................... 65 l Traffic Calming and Street Space Management........................... 70 Arterials and Local Streets: Operations. ............................ ...... 74 . Traffic Signal Improvements........................................ 74 l Computerized/interconnected Signal Systems........................... 76 l Arterial Surveillance and Management............................... 80 l Turn Prohibitions.................................................. 82 l Improved Traffic Control Devices...................................... 85 Artenals and Local Streets System Management. ................ 87 l High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Facilities on Arterials . ..................... 87 l Parking Management . .............................. 92 l Freight Movement Management . ............................ 99 l Bicycle and Pedestrian Networks . .. .. .. 104 Enforcement . .. .. 109 CHAPTER THREE - Building New Road Capacity.... .. 115 l Multimodal Transportation Corridor Investment.... .. 117 l New Highways......................... .. 121 l Access Control and Management........... .. 124 l Geometnc Design.................... .. 125 l Reconstruction and Traff it Management........ .. 127 l Grade Separation......................... .. 130 CHAPTER FOUR Providing Public Transportation Services..................133 System/Service Expansion ...................................... 136 .Rail/Fixed Guideway Transit Facilitiess ............................ 136 System/Service Operational Improvements................................... 148 l Fixed Route and Express Bus Services (New and Operational Changes)..... 148 l Paratransit Services (Indluding Contract and Shuttle)........ 154 Supporting Actions/Policies...................................... 157 l Fare Structures. .......... ........................ 157 l Multimodal Access to Transit Services/Facilitiess .......................... 162 . Multimodal/Intermodal Transit Stops and Terminals............ ........ 165 l Transit-Oriented Development/Livable Communities. .. 171 l Joint Development. ....................................... 180 l Transit-Oriented Parking Policies...... ............................. 184 . Transit Technology Applications............. ................. 184 CHAPTER FIVE - Managing Transportation Demand................ 187 Important Considerations............ ........................... 187 Site-Specific TDM Strategies ...................................... 189 Alternative Modes of Transportation ........................... 190 . Ridesharing ................................................ 190 l Nonmotonzed Transportation (Bicycling/Walking) . ...................... 197 Alternative Hours of Travel............................ 203 Alternative Locations................................. 205 l Telecommunications ........................................ 205 l Complementary Support Measures............................ 213 Areawide Strategies............................. 219 l Growth Management............................. 219 .Urban Design.............. ............................ 224 . Congestion Pricing.................................... 229 l Auto Restricted Zones................ .. 238 l Parking Management . ................ 241 l Trip Reduction Ordinances . ..................... 247 l Negotiated Demand Management Agreements . ..................... 251 l Regional Multimodal Traveler Information Systems......................... 254 l Transportation Management Associations. 254 CHAPTER SIX - integrating Intelligent Transportation Systems Into Regional Transportation. .. 257 Toward a Focus on System Operations and Management. .257 Intelligent Transportation Systems Defined. ...................... .258 l Regional Multimodal Traveler Information Systems (RMTIS).................... .263 l Traffic Signal Control Systems (TSCS) . .......................... .268 l Freeway Management Systems (FMS). ........................