Heavy Vehicle Performance During Recovery From Forced-Flow Urban Freeway Conditions Due To Incidents, Work Zones and Recurring Congestion

Information contained in the Highway Capacity Manual on the influence heavy vehicles have on freeway traffic operations has been based on few field data collection efforts and relied mostly on traffic simulation efforts. In the 2010 Manual heavy vehicle impact is evaluated based on “passenger car equivalent” values for buses, recreational vehicles and trucks. These values were calibrated for relatively uncongested freeway conditions (levels of service A through C) since inadequate field data on heavy vehicle behavior under congested conditions were available. A number of field data collection efforts, that were not included in deriving the passenger car equivalent values used in the Highway Capacity Manual, indicated that heavy vehicle impacts on traffic operations may increase as freeway congestion levels increase and freeways operate under unstable flow conditions. The goal of the present effort was to collect and analyze field data with an emphasis on heavy vehicle behavior under lower speeds and derive passenger car equivalent values under such conditions

Strategic Use of Highway Capacity

In 1991 a contraflow HOV facility opened on I-30 in central Dallas. Seeking a short-term strategy to increase capacity on the corridor, TxDOT and Dallas Area Rapid Transit collaborated on the implementation of the first contraflow HOV facility to use a movable barrier system in Texas. This presentation provides a detailed case study focused on the decision-making process, qualitative benefits and costs, and lessons learned from the project experience

Highway capacity and economic growth

The quality and quantity of highway transportation systems have a direct bearing on economic growth—good roads are good business.Infrastructure (Economics)

Highway Capacity Loss Induced by Rainfall

The effect of rainfall on capacity reduction on highways has been investigated. Traffic data was generated for both wet and dry conditions. The data analysis showed that the highway section studied was operating in free flow region. A 2.7% capacity loss was obtained for the road. It is argued that no traffic instability could arise from this situation if the state of traffic remains in the free flow regime. However, in the event of the coincidence of fixed bottlenecks and rainfall, instabilities arising from that could lead to further capacity loss

Highway Capacity Analysis Based on JKR Traffic Census

When designed road approach its demand, we started to experience lower speed and congestion. In Malaysia, the capacity of road was designed based on Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) design standard. JKR traffic census is the survey done twice a year to check the traffic volume. The data collection of current traffic will be combined with other known data such as population, employment, trip rates, zones , travel cost , etc. to enable us to forecast the future demand. The current data also helpful in determining whether the current road was sufficient or further development was needed in the future. The scope of this research is at Perak where the government plans to make Perak a high-income state with a viable economy. With the future development plan, the existing roads within Perak will be affected. The new transportation plans are needed to meet those demands. New analysis on the highway capacity and design should be done, to check the current level of service while compare it with designed capacity. The capacity analysis will based on the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM2000) to determine the performance of current facilities and compared with expected annual traffic growth

Valuing Incremental Highway Capacity in a Network

The importance of increments to an existing highway system depends upon their contributions to the accessibility provided by the existing network. Nearly 40 years ago, Mohring [1965] suggested this logic for planning optimal highway investment programs. He argued it could be implemented by measuring the quasi-rents generated by specific additions to an existing roadway system. This paper uses a unique set of additions to a loop roadway in metropolitan Phoenix, together with detailed records of housing sales over the past decade, to meet this need. We find that estimated increases in capitalized housing values due to four segments added during this period range from 73 to over 273 million dollars per mile of the roadway addition.