Traffic conditions were examined along 30 km (18.6 mi) of northbound Autobahn 5 near Frankfurt, Germany, with archived inductive loop detector data recorded at 1-min intervals. With a focus on the spatiotemporal evolution of traffic between freely flowing and queued conditions, it was possible to identify 15 bottleneck activations and to characterize reproducible features related to their formation, discharge, and dissipation. This was done by systematically probing the excess vehicle accumulation (spatial) and travel time (temporal) that arose between measurement locations. Bottlenecks became active in the vicinity of on-and off-ramps. The evolution of a steady shock of low flow, low velocity, and relatively short duration was traced over 16 km (10 mi). Its cause is not known definitively, but some indications of its formation were revealed. Once a bottleneck became active, its measured outflow was reproducible across multiple activations and multiple days. The analysis tools used were transformed curves of cumulative vehicle count and cumulative time mean velocity, with loop detector data in their most raw form. These cumulative curves provided the resolution necessary to reveal the spatial and temporal aspects of dynamic freeway traffic flow phenomena. With increasing availability of reliable freeway sensor data, it is important to continue the systematic empirical analysis of freeways in different countries with different geometric configurations. The results of this kind of research program will assist with all aspects of traffic flow modeling, operations, and control.
Traffic conditions were examined along 30 km (18.6 mi) of northbound Autobahn 5 near Frankfurt, Germany, with archived inductive loop detector data recorded at 1-min intervals. With a focus on the spatiotemporal evolution of traffic between freely flowing and queued conditions, it was possible to identify 15 bottleneck activations and to characterize reproducible features related to their formation, discharge, and dissipation. This was done by systematically probing the excess vehicle accumulation (spatial) and travel time (temporal) that arose between measurement locations. Bottlenecks became active in the vicinity of on- and off-ramps. The evolution of a steady shock of low flow, low velocity, and relatively short duration was traced over 16 km (10 mi). Its cause is not known definitively, but some indications of its formation were revealed. Once a bottleneck became active, its measured outflow was reproducible across multiple activations and multiple days. The analysis tools used were transformed curves of cumulative vehicle count and cumulative time mean velocity, with loop detector data in their most raw form. These cumulative curves provided the resolution necessary to reveal the spatial and temporal aspects of dynamic freeway traffic flow phenomena. With increasing availability of reliable freeway sensor data, it is important to continue the systematic empirical analysis of freeways in different countries with different geometric configurations. The results of this kind of research program will assist with all aspects of traffic flow modeling, operations, and control.
This project is a follow up to a successful previous NITC project and subsequent nationally distributed book, called "Rethinking Streets: An Evidence-Based Guide to 25 Street Transformations." The success of the first book demonstrated a need for easy access to evidence-based transportation information that can be used by practitioners, community members, policymakers, educators, and researchers. This project produced a follow-up guidebook, but with a focus on streets redesigned to accommodate bicycle transportation in ways following current best practices. Whereas the first book purposefully focused on "average" street retrofit projects to communicate the normalcy of such projects around the country, this project focused on the more ambitious approaches a variety of cities have taken to retrofit their streets to better accommodate normal people using bicycles as a normal mode of transportation. Complete Streets policies are being adopted across the United States, but local officials have few documented guidebooks to help them to retrofit streets for people on bikes based on completed projects using best practices. This project fills that gap. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Bicycle facilities, cycle tracks, protected bike lanes, advisory bike lanes, No restrictions. Copies available from NITC: protected intersections, raised bicycle facilities, off-street bike paths www.nitc-utc.net 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified
Sleep received his Bachelors degree in Geological Engineering from the University of Mississippi. After working for the USACE and private consulting, Matthew returned to graduate school at Virginia Tech receiving a Masters and PhD in Civil Engineering. His research and consulting focus is in Geotechnical Engineering with and emphasis on dam and levee projects. He is currently an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Oregon Institute of Technology.
Tech is now capable of increasing the number of students educated in three key civil engineering sub-disciplines that are directly related to transportation. This project, therefore, contributes to all three U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Center (UTC) purpose statements: Advance transportation expertise and technology in the many disciplines that comprise transportation through research, education and workforce development, and technology transfer; Provide a critical transportation knowledge base outside the USDOT; and Address vital workforce needs and educate the next generation of transportation leaders. A total of eight graduate-level courses were developed or significantly revised; one course in transportation water resources, three courses in transportation structures, and four courses in traffic engineering. Oregon Tech's Traffic Engineering was modernized with the purchase of 16 dual-screen computer workstations and traffic planning and engineering software licenses.17.
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