Advanced impact integration platform for cooperative road use

In order to improve networks efficiency, a considerable number of studies has been addressing the potential of eco-friendly assignment solutions as alternative approaches to reduce emissions and/or fuel use. So far the majority of studies generally assumes that the most eco-friendly solutions are the ones that minimize the absolute amount of emissions produced along a certain trip. In this work a platform based on both empirical GPS data and microscopic simulation models of traffic, emissions, noise, and road safety was developed to examine in depth 4 routes of an origin-destination pair over a Portuguese city. In addition to the integrated externalities assessment based on state of the art techniques, a novelty of this work was the preliminary inclusion of social criteria in defining sustainable assignment solutions. This paper provides new insights about sustainable traffic management issues and addresses multiple novel route choice indicators. Specifically we found that the relative variation of the individual costs and total pollution produced among 4 routes varies to a factor of 1.4 while the variation of the potentially exposed population ranges up to a factor of 10. The main results confirm the need to take into account real-time urban activity patterns in order to effectively implement sustainable traffic management measures

Evaluating Air Quality Benefits of Freeway High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes in Southern California

In the past decade, a variety of questions have been raised concerning the effectiveness of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. In Southern California, recent evaluation studies on HOV lanes confirm the effectiveness of HOV lanes in several ways. However, little research has been performed to evaluate the air quality benefits of HOV lanes. This paper describes a study that examines operational differences in traffic dynamics between HOV lanes and mixed-flow (MF) lanes and evaluates their impacts on vehicle emissions. Four general HOV lane scenarios were identified: underutilized, neutral, well utilized, and overutilized. Extensive driving trajectories in both lane types for each scenario were collected. Their speed profile and joint speed-acceleration frequency distribution were analyzed and compared. Vehicle emissions and fuel consumption were then estimated with a state-of-the-art modal emissions model. The results show that HOV lanes produce lower emission rates per vehicle per mile in most cases, except when they are underutilized. When normalized by average vehicle occupancy, HOV lanes produce much lower emission rates per the same amount of travel demand, on the order of 10% to 70%. In almost every case, HOV lanes produce less emissions mass on a per-lane basis than MF lanes. Southern California freeway lane performance matrices show that on a typical weekday during the summer of 2005, HOV lanes operated mostly under Scenarios 1 and 2 during peak periods. Overall, they were well utilized about 14% to 17% of the time. According to the emissions estimates, the HOV lanes are considered effective in reducing vehicle emissions

Evaluating Air Quality Benefits of Freeway High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes in Southern California

In the past decade, a variety of questions have been raised concerning the effectiveness of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. In Southern California, recent evaluation studies on HOV lanes confirm the effectiveness of HOV lanes in several ways. However, little research has been performed to evaluate the air quality benefits of HOV lanes. This paper describes a study that examines operational differences in traffic dynamics between HOV lanes and mixed-flow (MF) lanes and evaluates their impacts on vehicle emissions. Four general HOV lane scenarios were identified: underutilized, neutral, well utilized, and overutilized. Extensive driving trajectories in both lane types for each scenario were collected. Their speed profile and joint speed–acceleration frequency distribution were analyzed and compared. Vehicle emissions and fuel consumption were then estimated with a state-of-the-art modal emissions model. The results show that HOV lanes produce lower emission rates per vehicle per mile in most cases, except when they are underutilized. When normalized by average vehicle occupancy, HOV lanes produce much lower emission rates per the same amount of travel demand, on the order of 10% to 70%. In almost every case, HOV lanes produce less emissions mass on a per-lane basis than MF lanes. Southern California freeway lane performance matrices show that on a typical weekday during the summer of 2005, HOV lanes operated mostly under Scenarios 1 and 2 during peak periods. Overall, they were well utilized about 14% to 17% of the time. According to the emissions estimates, the HOV lanes are considered effective in reducing vehicle emissions

Evaluating Air Quality Benefits of Freeway High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes in Southern California

In the past decade, a variety of questions have been raised concerning the effectiveness of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. In Southern California, recent evaluation studies on HOV lanes confirm the effectiveness of HOV lanes in several ways. However, little research has been performed to evaluate the air quality benefits of HOV lanes. This paper describes a study that examines operational differences in traffic dynamics between HOV lanes and mixed-flow (MF) lanes and evaluates their impacts on vehicle emissions. Four general HOV lane scenarios were identified: underutilized, neutral, well utilized, and overutilized. Extensive driving trajectories in both lane types for each scenario were collected. Their speed profile and joint speed-acceleration frequency distribution were analyzed and compared. Vehicle emissions and fuel consumption were then estimated with a state-of-the-art modal emissions model. The results show that HOV lanes produce lower emission rates per vehicle per mile in most cases, except when they are underutilized. When normalized by average vehicle occupancy, HOV lanes produce much lower emission rates per the same amount of travel demand, on the order of 10% to 70%. In almost every case, HOV lanes produce less emissions mass on a per-lane basis than MF lanes. Southern California freeway lane performance matrices show that on a typical weekday during the summer of 2005, HOV lanes operated mostly under Scenarios 1 and 2 during peak periods. Overall, they were well utilized about 14% to 17% of the time. According to the emissions estimates, the HOV lanes are considered effective in reducing vehicle emissions

Development of a Pavement Quality Index for the State of Ohio

Every agency responsible for the maintenance of roadway systems faces the problem of insufficient funding to perform all of the necessary repairs on pavement sections. Therefore, highway agencies must adopt a pavement management system (PMS) to help set priorities. The PMS includes a method for evaluating pavement performance on a routine basis and identifying sections with a need for rehabilitation or maintenance. Some states in the U.S. use a pavement rating system that is based solely on visible surface distresses, while others use an index based on ride quality alone to perform the regular evaluation of pavements and to select projects. Increasingly, many states are using a combination of distress and ride quality. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) utilizes the Pavement Condition Rating (PCR), based on surface distress, for project selection. This paper outlines the development of a new performance index for pavements that incorporates aspects of ride quality together with surface distress for possible adoption by ODOT. The proposed index is called the Pavement Quality Index (PQI). The PQI does not require any new measurements or methods; rather, it simply utilizes procedures that are already in place and well established in Ohio. The PQI is an amalgam of the PCR and the International Roughness Index (IRI). The development of the new index is the natural extension of the growing trend that transportation agencies are placing increased emphasis on customer satisfaction, and also introducing performance-based specifications

Development of a Pavement Quality Index for the State of Ohio

Every agency responsible for the maintenance of roadway systems faces the problem of insufficient funding to perform all of the necessary repairs on pavement sections. Therefore, highway agencies must adopt a pavement management system (PMS) to help set priorities. The PMS includes a method for evaluating pavement performance on a routine basis and identifying sections with a need for rehabilitation or maintenance. Some states in the U.S. use a pavement rating system that is based solely on visible surface distresses, while others use an index based on ride quality alone to perform the regular evaluation of pavements and to select projects. Increasingly, many states are using a combination of distress and ride quality. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) utilizes the Pavement Condition Rating (PCR), based on surface distress, for project selection. This paper outlines the development of a new performance index for pavements that incorporates aspects of ride quality together with surface distress for possible adoption by ODOT. The proposed index is called the Pavement Quality Index (PQI). The PQI does not require any new measurements or methods; rather, it simply utilizes procedures that are already in place and well established in Ohio. The PQI is an amalgam of the PCR and the International Roughness Index (IRI). The development of the new index is the natural extension of the growing trend that transportation agencies are placing increased emphasis on customer satisfaction, and also introducing performance-based specifications