Active Transportation and Demand Management
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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Research

ONGOING RESEARCH

Active Traffic Management Signage Study

This project will determine both the comprehension of the Active Traffic Management (ATM) signs as well as the legibility distance of these signs, and determine how motorists respond to these signs in a simulated driving environment. The key project objectives are to determine both the comprehension of the Active Traffic Management (ATM) signs as well as the legibility distance of these signs, and to determine how motorists respond to these signs in a simulated driving environment.

Active Transportation and Demand Management (ATDM) Trajectory Level Validation

The goal of this project is to enable Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (AMS) tools to be validated and calibrated based on detailed vehicle trajectory level data, which will improve the accuracy of AMS tools. Because AMS tools are often used in transportation planning decision-making, and increasingly in a real-time ATDM operational environment, more accurate AMS tools will lead to better, more effective transportation funding investment and real-time operational decisions.

The objectives of the project are to:

  1. Compile existing and collect new vehicle trajectory level datasets.
  2. Develop a documented process/methodology for enabling trajectory level AMS tool validation.
  3. Develop a computational engine that allows the process/methodology to be demonstrated.
  4. Demonstrate the validation process using the computational engine in a Proof of Concept application.

Tools for Tactical Decision-Making/Advancing Methods for Predicting Performance

The objective of this study is to analyze the approaches and requirements for forecasting transportation conditions and predicting system performance to support real-time performance-based management. The concept is for the TMCs to have a comprehensive view of the transportation system in real time and use that view to predict how the system will behave (i.e., the performance of the transportation system) within, say, the next 20 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour. If the predicted performance over that time doesn't meet the desired performance target, the TMC operator/manager can pro-actively implement operational strategies/solutions or actions to influence and alter the future performance in a favorable manner to align with the performance objectives/goals. These actions may include providing real-time information about the predicted conditions to travelers, implementing operational strategies such as congestion pricing, parking information/restrictions, hard shoulder use, speed harmonization, ramp metering and control, optimizing traffic signal timing, changing transit frequency, adjusting the mix of transit services, etc.

Application of ATDM Tools for Tactical and Strategic Decision Making for Operations and Development of Multi-Objective Framework

The primary purpose of this task order is to help fill a gap in understanding traveler decision making, which is critical to the success of ATDM applications. A better fundamental understanding of driver behavior decisions and responses will lead to more effective and successful ATDM deployments that will in turn lead to more impactful benefits in mobility, safety, and the environment, particularly when needed most during non-recurring conditions. The objectives of this task order are to: better understand traveler strategic and tactical decision making, understand the motivation(s) behind traveler behaviors and decisions, develop approaches to overcome resistance to change, and enable the findings to be incorporated into ATDM guidance and outreach materials, as well as into Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (AMS) tools. This project will develop a multi-objective Framework for tradeoff analysis. The Framework will contain the concept, high-level functional requirements, and the structure so that it can be used for future tool development.

NCHRP (03-114) ATM Planning and Evaluation

The objective of NCHRP 03-114 is to develop a guide to planning and evaluating active traffic management (ATM) for recurrent and non-recurrent conditions. The final product should become the primary reference on ATM and serve as an essential resource for those agencies considering ATM in their jurisdiction. It should be applicable to practitioners at all levels of experience with traffic management and be used to support informed decision making.

 

Completed Research

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