Volume List  / Volume 3 (3)

Article

INVESTIGATION OF PERFORMANCE AND LANE UTILIZATION WITHIN A PASSING LANE ON A TWO LANE RURAL HIGHWAY

DOI: 10.7708/ijtte.2013.3(3).05


3 / 3 / 279-290 Pages

Author(s)

Zachary Freedman - Sabra, Wang & Associates, Baltimore, USA -

Ahmed Al-Kaisy - Civil Engineering Department, Montana State University, USA -


Abstract

An investigation into platooning and passing maneuvers within a passing lane section on a rural two-lane, two-way highway was considered in this study. The study site was located on US Highway 287 between the town of Townsend and the City of Helena in the state of Montana. Traffic volumes at study site, while considered elatively low, were typical on two-lane highways in many rural states. Per-lane analysis of performance measures and lane utilization (volume split) were used to indirectly examine passing maneuvers and lane changing at successive locations within the passing lane section. For the case study site, it was evident that traffic performance became relatively stable beyond half a mile into the passing lane for the traffic volumes investigated. Therefore, results strongly suggested that most passing maneuvers already took place before the 0.5-mile station and that the actual passing lane length was well beyond the optimal length required for breaking up platoons and improving performance.


Download Article

Number of downloads: 2109


References:

Al-Kaisy, A.; Karjala, S. 2008. Indicators of Performance on Two-Lane Rural Highways: An Empirical Investigation, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2071-11, 2071: 87-97.

 

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). 2004. A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, Washington, D.C.

 

Emoto, T.C.; May, A.D. 1988. Operational Evaluation of Passing Lanes in Level Terrain. FinalReport. Report UCBRR-88-13. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California at Berkeley.

 

Gattis, J.; Bhave, R.; Duncan, L. 2006. Alternating Passing Lane Length, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/1961-03, 1961: 16-23.

 

Harwood, D.W.; Hoban, C.J. 1987. Low Cost Methods of Operational Improvements on Two-Lane Highways. Midwest Research Institute and Federal Highway Administration. Report No. FHWA/IP-87/2. Contract No. DTFH61-82-C-00070.

 

Harwood, D.W.; St. John, A.D. 1984. Passing Lanes and Other Operational Improvements on Two-Lane Highways. Report No. FHWA-RD-85-028. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.

 

Transportation Research Board (TRB). 2000. Highway Capacity Manual. Fourth Edition. TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.

 

Transportation Research Board (TRB). 2010. Highway Capacity Manual. Fifth Edition. TRB, National Research Council, Washington, D.C.

 

Woolridge, M.; Messer, C.; Heard, B. 2002. Design Criteria for Improved Two-Lane Section (Super 2). Texas Transportation Institute, Project 0-4064.

 

Van As, C. 2003. The Development of an Analysis Method for the Determination of Level of Service of Two-Lane Undivided Highways in South Africa. Project Summary, South African National Roads Agency, Limited.


Quoted IJTTE Works



Related Keywords