Roads/Highways

An Analysis of HOT Lanes in North Carolina

Benjamin, JM
Sakano, R
McKinney, B
Khattak, AJ
Rodriguez, Daniel
Gaskin, C
2007

Many medium and small-size metropolitan areas in the U.S. face increasing traffic problems similar to large metropolitan areas. These metropolitan areas have responded primarily by expanding their road network and capacity. This paper explores the possibility of using a HOT lane in a medium-size metropolitan area for the same purpose. A detailed analysis and a suggested HOT lane solution are prepared for Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Point metropolitan area. While high congestion are not widespread in the region now, a highway corridor is identified based on forecasted high...

Risk-Aware Lane Selection on Highway with Dynamic Obstacles

Bae, Sangjae
Isele, David
Fujimura, Kikuo
Moura, Scott
2021

This paper proposes a discretionary lane selection algorithm. In particular, highway driving is considered as a targeted scenario, where each lane has a different level of traffic flow. When lane-changing is discretionary, it is advised not to change lanes unless highly beneficial, e.g., reducing travel time significantly or securing higher safety. Evaluating such “benefit” is a challenge, along with multiple surrounding vehicles in dynamic speed and heading with uncertainty. We propose a realtime lane-selection algorithm with careful cost considerations and with modularity in design. The...

Travel-time Reliability as a Measure of Service

Chen, Cong
Alexander Skabardonis
Varaiya, P
Transportation Research Board
2003

Statistics from a corridor along Interstate 5 in Los Angeles show that average travel time and travel-time variability are meaningful measures of freeway performance. Variability of travel time is an important measure of service quality for travelers. Travel time can be used to quantify the effect of incidents, and incident information can help reduce travel-time uncertainty. Predictability of travel time is a measure of the benefits of intelligent transportation systems. These measures differ from those defined in the "Highway Capacity Manual" and other aggregate measures of delay.

Computer Programs for Traffic Operations

Alexander Skabardonis
Lu, Xiao-Yun
Berkeley University of California
California Department of Transportation
2025

The objective of this project was to develop recommendations toward a statewide policy of congestion responsive freeway ramp metering operation. The research is performed in two phases. In phase 1, alternative ramp metering activation strategies were evaluated through simulation modeling on a real-world freeway test site. In phase 2, "before" and "after" field data will be collected and analyzed on freeway test sites that have implemented congestion responsive ramp metering activation. This report describes the research performed in phase 1 of the project. A section of the US-101 freeway...

Attica Tollway Management in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games

Halkias, Bill
Papandreou, Konstantinos
Kopelias, Pantelis
Prevedouros, Panos D
Alexander Skabardonis
ITS America
2005

Attica Tollway (Attiki Odos Motorway), the peripheral motorway of Athens metropolitan area, is the first road concession project in Greece. Attica Tollway provides safe and uninterrupted traffic flow conditions, saving more 270,000 person hours of delay per day with substantial savings in fuel consumption and air pollutant emissions. During the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, special traffic management plans were successfully implemented to ensure quick and safe access to the Olympic venues and to maintain a high level of service to all tollway users. The paper presents routine and emergency...

California’s Freeway Service Patrol Program: Management Information Systems Annual Report Fiscal Year 2015-2016

Mauch, Michael
Alexander Skabardonis
2017

The Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) is an incident management program implemented by Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and local partner agencies to quickly detect and assist disabled vehicles and reduce non-recurring congestion along the freeway during peak commute hours. The first FSP program was piloted in Los Angeles, and was later expanded to other regions by state legislation in 1991. As of June 2016, there were fourteen participating FSP Programs operating in California, deploying over 340 tow trucks and covering over 1,800 (center-line) miles of congested California freeways....

Application of Simulation to Evaluate the Operation of Major Freeway Weaving Sections

Alexander Skabardonis
Cassidy, M
May, A D
Cohen, S
1989

This paper describes the findings from the application of the INTRAS microscopic simulation model to evaluate the traffic performance at major freeway weaving sections. The work performed is part of an ongoing research project to develop improved weaving analysis procedures that are particularly applicable to California conditions. The INTRAS model was modified to predict the speeds of weaving and nonweaving vehicles and applied on eight major freeway weaving sections for a range of traffic conditions at each site. Good agreement was obtained between the measured and predicted values....

California’s Freeway Service Patrol Program: Management Information System Annual Report Fiscal Year 2018-19

Mauch, Michael
Alexander Skabardonis
1985

The Freeway Service Patrol (FSP) is an incident management program implemented by Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol and local partner agencies to quickly detect and assist disabled vehicles and reduce non-recurring congestion along the freeway during peak commute hours. The first FSP program was piloted in Los Angeles, and was later expanded to other regions by state legislation in 1991. As of June 2018, there were fourteen participating FSP Programs operating in California, deploying 328 tow trucks and covering over 1,823 (centerline) miles of congested California freeways. The...

Computer Applications in Traffic Signal Management. Session 4

Alexander Skabardonis
May, A D
1984

This paper describes the activities in developing and applying improved computer techniques in traffic signal management, performed in the technical center established at the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), as part of the Fuel Efficient Traffic Signal Management (FETSIM) project. The center provides technical support to local agencies, develops software and conducts research for most efficient use of the state of the art computer programs. A description of the available programs is given and how these tools can be used in the various phases of a signal retiming study. Selected...

Effects of Design Elements on Merging Capacity

Alexander Skabardonis
McDonald, M
1985

A microscope model was developed to simulate traffic behaviour at grade separated interchanges. The model was calibrated and validated from a large UK data base and applied to assess the validity of current ramp entry designs. The significance of design elements such as acceleration lane length, slip road length and gradient was estimated, and it was found that current design practice for ramp entries is generally inadequate. However, some designs would seem to be "more adequate" than others and the results explore the effects of changes in key parameters. (TRRL)