DOI

10.5703/1288284313132

Abstract

A highway system serves two needs: mobility and accessibility. Access control techniques are used to restrict access to the highway and improve vehicle flow. The objective of this research was to develop a comprehensive procedure to evaluate access control alternatives. The procedure includes the design and quantitative evaluation of alternatives to select the best one. Evaluation of each alternative includes prediction of turning volumes, delays, crash rates, and economic effectiveness. Several existing models predict traffic delays for signalized intersections and for minor streams at unsignalized intersections. Models are needed to predict delays of arterial streams caused by minor streams at unsignalized intersections. To address this missing component, models were developed to predict the delays caused to arterial streams by the following maneuvers: merging onto the arterial, diverging from the arterial, and left turn from the arterial. Models to predict crash rates for multi-lane arterial segments in Indiana based on geometric and access control characteristics were also developed. Models were developed to predict total, propertydamage- only, and fatal/injury crashes. For the economic evaluation of each alternative, delays and stops are converted to operating costs for representative periods, and the crash rates are converted to crash costs. The agency costs can also be estimated. After the economic evaluation of each access control alternative, the best alternative can be selected.

Report Number

FHWA/IN/JTRP-98/07-II

Keywords

access control, urban arterial, user costs, unsignalized intersection, transportation planning, highway management, SPR-2144

SPR Number

2144

Project Number

C-36-17UU

File Number

8-4-47

Performing Organization

Joint Transportation Research Program

Publisher Place

West Lafayette, IN

Date of this Version

1998

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