FREEWAY RAMP CONTROL

FREEWAY CONGESTION CAN BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED IN TWO WAYS: (1) BY INCREASING THE FREEWAY'S CAPACITY OR (2) BY DECREASING THE TRAFFIC LOAD. BY CONTROLLING ACCESS TO A FREEWAY AT THE ON-RAMPS, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUME AND SAFETY CAN BE OPTIMIZED. IN HOUSTON, RAMP METERING HAS BOOSTED TRAFFIC VOLUME BY TEN PERCENT, INCREASED SPEEDS BY THIRTY PERCENT, AND REDUCED ACCIDENTS BY FORTY TO FIFTY PERCENT DURING THE RUSH PERIOD IN THE TEST SECTION. EXPERIENCE IN DETROIT AND CHICAGO IS ALSO DESCRIBED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SAVINGS ACHIEVED BY THE RELATIVELY SMALL CAPITAL OUTLAY INVOLVED IN RAMP CONTROL, YIELD A HIGHER RATE OF RETURN THAN CAN BE ACHIEVED BY RECONSTRUCTION. AN IBM 1800 PROCESS CONTROL DIGITAL COMPUTER CONTROLS METERING AT SIX ON-RAMPS ON THE HOUSTON FREEWAY WHEN THE ANALOG CONTROLLERS ARE NOT IN USE.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/10480594
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 38, No 6, PP 36-39, 2 FIG, 4 PHOT
• Authors:
  • Buhr, J H
• Publication Date: 1968-6

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Civil Engineering
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0885-7024
  • Serial URL: http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/newce/html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access control (Transportation); Digital computers; Economics; Freeway operations; Freeways; Highway capacity; Interchange ramps; Peak hour traffic; Peak periods; Traffic control; Traffic safety; Traffic speed; Traffic volume
• Uncontrolled Terms: Access control
• Old TRIS Terms: Freeway capacity; Freeway ramps; Metering
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225421
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 19 1971 12:00AM