LANE-CHANGE FREQUENCIES IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC FLOW

LANE-CHANGE FREQUENCIES OF EXISTING VEHICLES CLOSE TO THEIR INTENDED OFF-RAMP AND OF THROUGH VEHICLES WERE DETERMINED EMPIRICALLY FOR AN 8-, A 6-, AND A 4- LANE FREEWAY SITE. THE RESULTS WERE OBTAINED FOR VARIOUS FLOW LEVELS AND AS A FUNCTION OF UPSTREAM DISTANCE FROM THE OFF-RAMP. THE DATA BASE USED IN THIS STUDY WAS ACQUIRED BY A METHODOLOGY THAT INVOLVED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES AND THAT RESULTED IN DIGITIZED SPACE-TIME TRAJECTORIES OF ALL VEHICLES TRAVERSING THE STUDY SITES. FOR EACH STUDIED FLOW LEVEL AT THE VARIOUS SITES, LANE-CHANGE FREQUENCIES ARE PRESENTED FOR EACH LANE PAIR AS WELL AS FOR BOTH EXITING AND THROUGH VEHICLES INDEPENDENT OF LANES. THE RESULTS SHOW CLEARLY THAT THE GREATEST FREQUENCY OF EXITING-VEHICLE LANE CHANGES IS TOWARD THE RIGHT LANE AND THAT A CORRESPONDING INCREASED FREQUENCY OF THROUGH-VEHICLE LANE CHANGES IS TOWARD THE LEFT LANE. AT THE OFF-RAMP, WHERE THE EXITING VEHICLES LEAVE THE FREEWAY, THROUGH VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO MOVE BACK TOWARD THE RIGHT LANE AND TO HAVE HIGH LANE-CHANGE FREQUENCIES.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1972/409/409-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020816
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Committee on Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Pahl, Juergen
• Discussers:
  • Worrall, R D
• Conference:
  • 51st Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1972-1-17 to 1972-1-21
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 17-25
• Monograph Title: Traffic flow characteristics and models
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 409
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerial photography; Interchange ramps; Traffic flow; Traffic lanes; Travel patterns
• Uncontrolled Terms: Change; Traffic patterns
• Old TRIS Terms: Freeway entrances and exits
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226586
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020816
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 7 1973 12:00AM