Summary

This project expands upon Task Order (TO) 4113 by researching traffic behavior during freeway bottlenecks. Using data from at least fifty weekdays in a minimum of twenty bottleneck sites in San Diego and elsewhere, the project intends to calculate average time gaps and lane flow ratios from traffic counts and lane occupancy data.

Traffic counts and lane occupancy data will be gathered using loop detectors, which are typically available at bottlenecks in the San Diego area, and videotapes to ensure a manual count accompanies the loop detectors. From there, statistical analysis techniques will be used to identify relationships among traffic variables.

Deliverables at the end of the project will include two interim reports, a final report, a workshop presentation, and an implementation package consisting of the written descriptions of capacity analysis procedures.

From this research, better planning, design, and management of freeway systems can result by assessing and predicting the bottleneck capacities of certain freeways.

Related PATH Articles/Journals

James H. Banks, "New Approach to Bottleneck Capacity Analysis: Final Report" (UCB-ITS-PRR-2006-13). 01 July 2006.

James H. Banks, "Effect of Time Gaps and Lane Flow Distributions on Freeway Bottleneck Capacity." Transportation Research Record 1965, 2006.

In Press: James H. Banks, "Effect of Site and Population Characteristics on Freeway Bottleneck Capacity." Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting Reprint CD, 2007. To be published in Transportation Research Record, 2007.