Traffic Bottlenecks

FHWA Programs Address Bottlenecks from Varied Perspectives

Bottleneck Impact Matrix

A Bottleneck Impact Matrix table displaying the differences between recurring and nonrecurring (HTML, PDF One Pager 89KB).

Good Ideas!

A Sampling of Successful Bottleneck Projects Nationwide

A Sampling of how State DOTs Incorporate Bottleneck Attention in their Processes

Traffic Bottlenecks: A Primer Focus on Low-Cost Operational Improvements

A complimentary copy may be ordered by sending an email to Neil.Spiller@dot.gov. Multiple copies (small numbers only) are available if you are holding a workshop or for internal distribution to key persons (HTML, PDF 1.8MB).

In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the National Strategy to Reduce Congestion of America's Transportation Network (a.k.a., the Congestion Initiative). The goal is to make meaningful and near-term reductions in congestion. Working through the federal aid apportionment and SAFETEA-LU processes, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and our State partners are engaged in many programs related to congestion impact.

Here are just a few links to some of the many congestion mitigation efforts that FHWA is engaged in: Tolling and Pricing, high-occupancy vehicle legislation and enablement, Urban Partnerships, Congestion Mitigation, freight-specific analysis, special events, work zone congestion mitigation, traffic incident delay mitigation, and other driver behavior solutions, like ridesharing incentives, car sharing, and telecommuting.

Within the Office of Operations, the Localized Bottleneck Reduction (LBR) Program serves to bring attention to the root causes, impacts, and potential solutions to traffic chokepoints that are recurring events; ones that are wholly the result of operational influences. That program is the focus of the remainder of the web site.

An image of vehicles in multiple lanes of congestion.

Localized Bottleneck Reduction Program

The LBR program is targeted at point-specific locations (e.g., ramps, lane squeezes, weave areas, abrupt changes in highway alignments, etc) or small corridors of delay, as opposed to larger "mega-projects" or systemic congestion. Systemic congestion is often analogous to entire corridors or regional congestion; a situation that is far and above the focus of this program area. Bottlenecks are either recurring (predictable, static) or nonrecurring (random, dynamic) in cause. The LBR Program focuses on recurring bottlenecks; i.e., those that are operationally influenced by design or function, and impacted upon by traffic over-demand. All things being equal, a recurring bottleneck will disappear once the traffic volume has decreased to where the operationally influenced deficiency no longer comes into play. A nonrecurring bottleneck will disappear once the random event is removed. A nonrecurring event may be further impacted by volume, but it is not volume-based. Only a physical improvement will relieve a recurring bottleneck. Acknowledging that even mega-bottlenecks are realistically correctable given a "blank check", unlimited right of way, and non-competing priorities, operational bottlenecks are merely a smaller sub-category of all bottlenecks.

What are "operational influences?"

A bottleneck is "congestion" but congestion is often more than a bottleneck.

What is the LBR Program definition of a "Bottleneck"?

What about "Freight Bottlenecks?" Isn't that a unique FHWA program area?

What elements typically exist to define a "Bottleneck"?

What options exist to combat congestion (and by extension, bottlenecks)?

How can bottlenecks be identified and assessed?

How can bottlenecks be fixed?

Resources

Summary of 2008 Workshop Series

Three LBR workshops were held in 2008 to bring together state and local transportation agency representatives to discuss programs to reduce bottlenecks. Read More…

Contact Information

Neil Spiller
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Operations, HOTM, Mail Stop E84-431
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington D.C. 20590

E-mail: Neil.Spiller@dot.gov
Phone: 202-366-2188

To view PDF files, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Search Operations: Home About Operations Office Directory Program Areas Regulation/Policy Publications Speeches Press Room Links Subject Index Feedback	Traffic Bottlenecks FHWA Programs Address Bottlenecks from Varied Perspectives Bottleneck Impact Matrix A Bottleneck Impact Matrix table displaying the differences between recurring and nonrecurring (HTML, PDF One Pager 89KB). Good Ideas! A Sampling of Successful Bottleneck Projects Nationwide A Sampling of how State DOTs Incorporate Bottleneck Attention in their Processes Traffic Bottlenecks: A Primer Focus on Low-Cost Operational Improvements A complimentary copy may be ordered by sending an email to Neil.Spiller@dot.gov. Multiple copies (small numbers only) are available if you are holding a workshop or for internal distribution to key persons (HTML, PDF 1.8MB). In May 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the National Strategy to Reduce Congestion of America's Transportation Network (a.k.a., the Congestion Initiative). The goal is to make meaningful and near-term reductions in congestion. Working through the federal aid apportionment and SAFETEA-LU processes, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and our State partners are engaged in many programs related to congestion impact. Here are just a few links to some of the many congestion mitigation efforts that FHWA is engaged in: Tolling and Pricing, high-occupancy vehicle legislation and enablement, Urban Partnerships, Congestion Mitigation, freight-specific analysis, special events, work zone congestion mitigation, traffic incident delay mitigation, and other driver behavior solutions, like ridesharing incentives, car sharing, and telecommuting. Within the Office of Operations, the Localized Bottleneck Reduction (LBR) Program serves to bring attention to the root causes, impacts, and potential solutions to traffic chokepoints that are recurring events; ones that are wholly the result of operational influences. That program is the focus of the remainder of the web site. Localized Bottleneck Reduction Program The LBR program is targeted at point-specific locations (e.g., ramps, lane squeezes, weave areas, abrupt changes in highway alignments, etc) or small corridors of delay, as opposed to larger "mega-projects" or systemic congestion. Systemic congestion is often analogous to entire corridors or regional congestion; a situation that is far and above the focus of this program area. Bottlenecks are either recurring (predictable, static) or nonrecurring (random, dynamic) in cause. The LBR Program focuses on recurring bottlenecks; i.e., those that are operationally influenced by design or function, and impacted upon by traffic over-demand. All things being equal, a recurring bottleneck will disappear once the traffic volume has decreased to where the operationally influenced deficiency no longer comes into play. A nonrecurring bottleneck will disappear once the random event is removed. A nonrecurring event may be further impacted by volume, but it is not volume-based. Only a physical improvement will relieve a recurring bottleneck. Acknowledging that even mega-bottlenecks are realistically correctable given a "blank check", unlimited right of way, and non-competing priorities, operational bottlenecks are merely a smaller sub-category of all bottlenecks. What are "operational influences?" A bottleneck is "congestion" but congestion is often more than a bottleneck. What is the LBR Program definition of a "Bottleneck"? What about "Freight Bottlenecks?" Isn't that a unique FHWA program area? What elements typically exist to define a "Bottleneck"? What options exist to combat congestion (and by extension, bottlenecks)? How can bottlenecks be identified and assessed? How can bottlenecks be fixed? Resources Summary of 2008 Workshop Series Three LBR workshops were held in 2008 to bring together state and local transportation agency representatives to discuss programs to reduce bottlenecks. Read More… Contact Information Neil Spiller Federal Highway Administration Office of Operations, HOTM, Mail Stop E84-431 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington D.C. 20590 E-mail: Neil.Spiller@dot.gov Phone: 202-366-2188 To view PDF files, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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