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EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AT A TOLL PLAZAWITH EXPRESS ETC LANES
Title
EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AT A TOLL PLAZAWITH EXPRESS ETC LANES.
Creator
Gordin, Eric Anthony, Al-Deek, Haitham M., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The effectiveness of modifying a conventional toll plaza for implementation of an open road tolling concept with express ETC lanes was evaluated in this thesis. Speed controlled dedicated ETC lanes were replaced with express ETC lanes at the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) University Mainline Toll Plaza. This evaluation was accomplished by utilizing collected field data and simulated scenarios using Toll Plaza SIMulation (TPSIM) software developed by the University of...
Show moreThe effectiveness of modifying a conventional toll plaza for implementation of an open road tolling concept with express ETC lanes was evaluated in this thesis. Speed controlled dedicated ETC lanes were replaced with express ETC lanes at the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) University Mainline Toll Plaza. This evaluation was accomplished by utilizing collected field data and simulated scenarios using Toll Plaza SIMulation (TPSIM) software developed by the University of Central Florida. The speed controlled dedicated ETC lanes were located within toll lanes (contained within a toll plaza canopy) with widths ranging between 10 to 14 ft. These types of lanes required all vehicles to reduce their speed from the highway speed to 35 mph. Express ETC lanes (sometimes referenced as open road tolling or non-stop tolling) allow vehicles to pass through the plaza at high speeds. Open road tolling is a concept that employs high speed toll lanes.A before and after study of the University toll plaza was conducted. Benefits in the form of reduced delays and increased capacities were observed when making the comparison between the before and after studies. Since we expect the capacity of an express ETC lane to be greater than the dedicated ETC lanes (due to an increase in free-flow speed), further analysis using equations and car-following theory proved that if the ETC speed was increased, then the capacity would increase as well. Using equations derived from the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) and car-following theory, the capacity was increased from 2016 to 2314 vph when the ETC speed increased from 31 mph to 65 mph. This indicated an increase in capacity of 14.8 percent (based on the conversion from dedicated to express ETC lanes). The field data was also used as input for TPSIM (a computer simulation model) in order to perform a sensitivity analysis of the express ETC lanes by varying the type of ETC lane, number of approach lanes, and plaza configurations (the addition of an ACM lane) between scenarios. Results that were observed during the after study were verified using the TPSIM scenarios. Reductions in delays for the entire plaza were observed using the TPSIM model when making similar improvements to the plaza as in the after study.The changes made to the University Mainline Toll Plaza after construction was completed resulted in benefits by reducing delays and increasing the capacity of the toll plaza (by converting dedicated ETC lanes to express ETC lanes and adding an additional A/ETC lane per direction). These benefits were measured using field data and confirmed when performing the TPSIM scenarios. A customer's travel time along the toll facility will be reduced by using the express ETC lanes (since they are not required to decelerate at the toll plaza). In addition, weaving maneuvers downstream of the plaza are no longer required by customers using the express ETC lanes due to the location of the downstream travel lanes in relation to the express ETC lanes. These benefits may have led to changes in the number and percentage of ETC users in each of the toll lanes. Changes in ETC usage in the conventional mixed-use lanes directly impacted the throughput and delays for each of these lanes, since ETC equipped vehicles have a service time of zero seconds. In addition to the operational benefits, other possible benefits for express ETC lanes were identified and recommended for further evaluation and research. The re-distribution of customers at the plaza due to the implementation of open road tolling, in the form of express ETC lanes, was a great benefit to the overall traffic operations for the University Mainline Toll Plaza in Orlando, Florida.
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Date Issued
2004
Identifier
CFE0000057, ucf:46072
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000057
EVALUATION OF THE IMPACTS OF ITS INFORMATION STRATEGIES ON I-4 CORRIDOR
Title
EVALUATION OF THE IMPACTS OF ITS INFORMATION STRATEGIES ON I-4 CORRIDOR.
Creator
Zuo, Yueliang, Al-Deek, Haitham M., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This study evaluated the impacts of ITS information strategies under incident conditions in Interstate 4 (I-4) corridor of Orlando. The analysis was performed using DYNASMART-P software package. The ITS information strategies range from pre-trip information, en-route information, and variable message signs. Simulation covered one hour during the morning peak period. The impacts of ITS information strategies on mobility were evaluated by simulating the performance of various ITS information...
Show moreThis study evaluated the impacts of ITS information strategies under incident conditions in Interstate 4 (I-4) corridor of Orlando. The analysis was performed using DYNASMART-P software package. The ITS information strategies range from pre-trip information, en-route information, and variable message signs. Simulation covered one hour during the morning peak period. The impacts of ITS information strategies on mobility were evaluated by simulating the performance of various ITS information components (pre-trip information, en-route information, and variable message signs) under incident conditions for the I-4 corridor and comparing the results with the corresponding scenarios in the absence of these components. The traffic flow relations were calibrated against the flow measurements along freeway to determine model parameters. An effort was made to validate estimated traffic volumes against measured link counts. The archived I-4 data at the Center for Advanced Transportation Systems Simulation (CATSS) at the University of Central Florida was used for both calibration and validation. The analysis indicated that DYNASMART-P was able to adequately reproduce the observed morning peak hourly flows over suitably selected locations.Ten scenarios were designed to evaluate the benefits of ITS information strategies under incident conditions. The results indicated that these ITS traveler information technologies can result in great travel time saving. It was found that commuters who use traveler information via the pre-trip information or en-route information to switch their routes benefit significantly in terms of delay reduction when incidents occur. It was found that there exists an optimal value for the fraction users with information at which the network performs best. This optimal fraction may be different for different source of information. Also this may vary with different incidents. This study demonstrates how one can realistically simulate the network under various scenarios without actually conducting the high cost operational tests. DYNASMART-P can produce useful variables such as speeds, travel time, queue lengths, and stop time to better assess the impacts of ITS components. It can be applied in ITS equipped networks.
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Date Issued
2004
Identifier
CFE0000107, ucf:46199
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000107