Congestion Congestion MitigationMitigation
Programs and StrategiesPrograms and Strategies
Craig MizeraCraig Mizera
Advanced Highway DesignAdvanced Highway DesignCE 550CE 550
April 2, 2007April 2, 2007
OutlineOutline
►Overview of CongestionOverview of Congestion
►Effects of CongestionEffects of Congestion
►Solving the ProblemSolving the Problem
What is Congestion?What is Congestion?
►Highway Congestion occurs when the Highway Congestion occurs when the traffic demand approaches or traffic demand approaches or surpasses the available capacity.surpasses the available capacity.
►Measurements of the level of service, Measurements of the level of service, speed, travel time, and delay are used speed, travel time, and delay are used to express the severity.to express the severity.
What is Congestion?What is Congestion?
Expected Congestion in the Expected Congestion in the FutureFuture
Sources of CongestionSources of Congestion
►BottlenecksBottlenecks► Intersections & InterchangesIntersections & Interchanges►Work ZonesWork Zones►WeatherWeather►Traffic IncidentsTraffic Incidents►Special EventsSpecial Events
Sources of CongestionSources of Congestion
FHWAFHWA
Effects of CongestionEffects of Congestion
►SocietySociety
►FreightFreight
►EnvironmentEnvironment
SocietySociety
►TTI Traffic Congestion StudyTTI Traffic Congestion Study 85 Urban areas85 Urban areas 3.7 billion hours of delay3.7 billion hours of delay
►43 hrs/person/yr43 hrs/person/yr
Wasted time and FuelWasted time and Fuel►$63 million$63 million
$384 /person/yr$384 /person/yr
FreightFreight
►243 million hours of delay per year243 million hours of delay per year
►$7.8 billion/year$7.8 billion/year
►Freight movement increaseFreight movement increase 3% annually through 20203% annually through 2020
FreightFreight
FHWAFHWA
EnvironmentEnvironment
►Burning Excess FuelBurning Excess Fuel
►PollutantsPollutants Nitrogen OxidesNitrogen Oxides Carbon MonoxideCarbon Monoxide HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons
Highway Congestion Highway Congestion SolutionsSolutions
►Passenger cars Passenger cars increase 2.5% annuallyincrease 2.5% annually
►Truck freight movement Truck freight movement increase 3% annuallyincrease 3% annually
Highway Congestion Highway Congestion SolutionsSolutions
►Government EffortsGovernment Efforts
►Designs and StrategiesDesigns and Strategies
► Intelligent Transportation SystemsIntelligent Transportation Systems
► Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
► Traffic Forecasting StrategyTraffic Forecasting Strategy
Government ProgramsGovernment Programs
►National Strategy to Reduce National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Congestion on America’s Transportation Network PlanTransportation Network Plan Congestion InitiativeCongestion Initiative
►Work Zone MobilityWork Zone Mobility
►Highways for LIFEHighways for LIFE
Congestion InitiativeCongestion Initiative
► Introduced May 2006Introduced May 2006►Six componentsSix components
Urban partnership agreementsUrban partnership agreements Public private partnershipsPublic private partnerships Corridors of the futureCorridors of the future Reducing border congestionReducing border congestion Reducing S. Cal. Freight CongestionReducing S. Cal. Freight Congestion Increasing aviation capacityIncreasing aviation capacity
Work Zone MobilityWork Zone Mobility
► Construction-related CongestionConstruction-related Congestion
► Accelerated Construction TechniquesAccelerated Construction Techniques
►Night WorkNight Work
► ITSITS
► Share successful ideas and strategiesShare successful ideas and strategies
Highways for LIFEHighways for LIFE
►LLonger-lasting highway infrastructure onger-lasting highway infrastructure using using IInnovations to accomplish the nnovations to accomplish the
FFast construction of ast construction of
EEfficient and Safe Highways and Bridgesfficient and Safe Highways and Bridges►3 Main Goals3 Main Goals
Improving SafetyImproving Safety Reduce CongestionReduce Congestion Improve QualityImprove Quality
Design Efforts and StrategiesDesign Efforts and Strategies
►Widening the RoadwayWidening the Roadway►High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) LanesHigh Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lanes► Ramp ManagementRamp Management► Separate and Reversible LanesSeparate and Reversible Lanes► Innovative DesignsInnovative Designs
TunnelsTunnels ““Stacking” LanesStacking” Lanes
Design Efforts and StrategiesDesign Efforts and Strategies
►Concentrate on new ideasConcentrate on new ideas
► In the Past……..In the Past…….. Spent $340 billion dollarsSpent $340 billion dollars
►Public transitPublic transit►Accounts for 2% of the tripsAccounts for 2% of the trips
Widening the RoadwayWidening the Roadway
►Wider is not always better.Wider is not always better.
►Limited ROWLimited ROW
►Expensive ROWExpensive ROW
HOV LanesHOV Lanes
►Special LanesSpecial Lanes►15 million people carpool15 million people carpool►84 million drive alone84 million drive alone►High Occupancy Toll (HOT) LanesHigh Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes
Prices fluctuate with traffic volumesPrices fluctuate with traffic volumes 3Ps3Ps
Ramp ManagementRamp Management
►Control the number of vehiclesControl the number of vehicles SignsSigns Traffic signalsTraffic signals GatesGates
►VersatileVersatile
►Sufficient PlanningSufficient Planning Can create spillback to other routesCan create spillback to other routes
Ramp ManagementRamp Management
►MinneapolisMinneapolis B/C Ratio 15:1B/C Ratio 15:1 Reduced emissions by 1160 tons/yearReduced emissions by 1160 tons/year
Separate LanesSeparate Lanes
► Ignored for yearsIgnored for years
Federal Regulations forbid themFederal Regulations forbid them National System of Interstate and Defense National System of Interstate and Defense
HighwaysHighways
►Build to different standardsBuild to different standards Allow Larger TrucksAllow Larger Trucks
TunnelsTunnels
►Advances in tunnel technologiesAdvances in tunnel technologies Faster ConstructionFaster Construction Lower costLower cost
““Stacking” LanesStacking” Lanes
►Double-deckDouble-deck Low ceilings 7 ftLow ceilings 7 ft 10 ft lanes10 ft lanes
►80% of traffic passenger vehicles80% of traffic passenger vehicles
Intelligent Transportation Intelligent Transportation SystemSystem
►System that uses electronics, System that uses electronics, communications, or information communications, or information processing singly or together to processing singly or together to improve the efficiency or safety of a improve the efficiency or safety of a transportation systemtransportation system FHWAFHWA
►Educate DriversEducate Drivers IncidentsIncidents Work ZonesWork Zones
►Automated tollsAutomated tolls
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
►Palle JensenPalle Jensen DenmarkDenmark
►Dual Mode SystemDual Mode System Regular RoadwayRegular Roadway
►Manually controlledManually controlled
GuidewayGuideway►Automatically controlledAutomatically controlled
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
►Different sizesDifferent sizes Maxi-rufMaxi-ruf
►10 seats10 seats
Midi-rufMidi-ruf►5 seats5 seats
RUFRUF►4 seats4 seats
Mini-rufMini-ruf►2 seats2 seats
Rapid Urban Flexible SystemRapid Urban Flexible System
►Los AngelesLos Angeles $9.55 billion$9.55 billion
►SeattleSeattle $1.2 billion$1.2 billion
Planning and Forecasting Future Planning and Forecasting Future TrafficTraffic
►Traditional traffic forecastingTraditional traffic forecasting
Collect dataCollect data
Region’s travel demand modelRegion’s travel demand model
Planning and Forecasting Future Planning and Forecasting Future TrafficTraffic
►Goal-oriented Planning ProcessGoal-oriented Planning Process Developed in Texas and GeorgiaDeveloped in Texas and Georgia Need for additional projectsNeed for additional projects
►Estimate the costs and benefitsEstimate the costs and benefits
►Allowed the public to observe the Allowed the public to observe the range of project costs and how they range of project costs and how they affected congestionaffected congestion
ConclusionConclusion
““One of the most promising options for One of the most promising options for combating out-of-control congestion is combating out-of-control congestion is to turn to technology and invest in to turn to technology and invest in innovation.”innovation.”
- Secretary of Transportation Mary PetersSecretary of Transportation Mary Peters2007 TRB2007 TRB
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTSQUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
