Using Decision Support System and Graphical User Interface to Choose Appropriate Lane Configurations at Toll Facilities

Abstract

This study shows that tools can be devised to assist engineers and operators make decisions concerning a network of toll roads. A decision support system (DSS) was connected to a database containing highway network hourly geometric and traffic information for one typical day. The DSS provided operators with online tools that could assist with their hour-to-hour decisions concerning toll plaza lane configurations. This pilot study could be extended, and the DSS could be connected to a realtime database to assist operators with their day-to-day decisions. Operators could plan for special scheduled events in which traffic volumes are known to surge. Engineers could design lane configurations at toll facilities that could meet traffic requirements. Engineers could also design new interchange locations and predict the effect on toll plaza segments. They could also predict the effect of adding additional lanes to busy highway segments. Highway operators could determine the effects of an incident or other unscheduled lane closing at any particular hour of the day. Furthermore, they could schedule maintenance and lane closings for construction at hours of the day in which bottlenecks are at a minimum.