Lane drops downstream of signalized intersections are found on many urban and suburban streets and highways. Since drivers tend to avoid using the short lane due to the potential for stressful merges downstream of the signal, the short lane is typically under-utilized. Previous research indicates that the default lane utilization factors in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) appear to overestimate traffic in the short lane. The purpose of this project was to develop models to predict lane utilization factors for six defined intersection types and to assess how a lane drop affects safety near intersections. Traffic, signal, and collision data were collected at 94 sites in North Carolina. Based on 15 candidate factors, multiple regression models were developed for the purpose of predicting the lane utilization factor. This study found that the downstream lane length and traffic intensity positively correlate with the lane utilization factor, and that some geometric variables at the approach may also influence lane utilization. Collision data analysis results show that collision rates downstream of an intersection decline as the distance to a lane drop increase.
False Capacity for Lane Drops
2005
pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Transportation & Traffic Planning , Transportation , Road Transportation , Highway capacity , Traffic lanes , Signalized intersections , Highways , Urban areas , Traffic models , Traffic control signals , Traffic accidents , Transportation management , Traffic safety , Traffic engineering , Traffic management , North Carolina , Estimation , Data collection , Lane distribution
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