In work-zone configurations where lane drops are present, merging of traffic at the taper presents an operational concern. In addition, as flow through the work zone is reduced, the relative traffic safety of the work zone is also reduced. Improving work-zone flow-through merge points depends on the behavior of individual drivers. By better understanding driver behavior, traffic control plans, work zone policies, and countermeasures can be better targeted to reinforce desirable lane closure merging behavior, leading to both improved safety and work-zone capacity. The researchers collected data for two work-zone scenarios that included lane drops with one scenario on the Interstate and the other on an urban arterial roadway. The researchers then modeled and calibrated these scenarios in VISSIM using real-world speeds, travel times, queue lengths, and merging behaviors (percentage of vehicles merging upstream and near the merge point). Once built and calibrated, the researchers modeled strategies for various countermeasures in the two work zones. The models were then used to test and evaluate how various merging strategies affect safety and operations at the merge areas in these two work zones.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Modeling Merging Behavior at Lane Drops Final Report


    Contributors:
    S. Hallmark (author) / N. Oneyear (author)

    Publication date :

    2015


    Size :

    51 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English






    Freeway Lane Drops

    D. N. Goodwin | NTIS | 1976


    Effects of Merging Lane Length on the Merging Behavior at Expressway On-Ramps

    Kita, H. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1993


    LANE MERGING DETERMINATION APPARATUS

    HABU TOSHIYA / YOKOYAMA TAKAHISA | European Patent Office | 2016

    Free access