Unclog Local Network Congestion Using High Capacity Mini-Roundabout: A Feasibility Study
In local cities with only at-grade intersections, network-wide traffic congestion can often be traced to the oversaturation of one single intersection, typically, the junction of two higher-volume roads with minimal capacity constraint along their routes until they intersect each other. The sudden drop in throughput capacity at the junction creates queues extending to nearby upstream intersections, blocking those side streets and forcing some drivers to change routes. As the congested area expands, this dynamic phenomenon eventually paralyzes the surrounding street network. For recurring congestion of this type, implementing a solution that can unclog the congestion at the critical intersection alone can restore the entire network to a healthy state of traffic operation and safety. This paper presents one such solution by testing the effect of replacing an existing All-Way-Stop-Control intersection, which sits on the essential passage routes of both East-West and North-South traffic, with a high-capacity mini-roundabout. The analysis showed that this improvement can lift the level of service of 2/3 of the network intersections from the current D, E, or F during the afternoon peak period, to the projected level of service of A or B, thus solving a network-wide traffic congestion problem by improving only one critical intersection. The problem described in this paper is representative to many cities, thus the presented solution can also be considered representative and applied in that context.
-
-
Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANB75 Roundabouts. Alternate title: Unclogging Local Network Congestion Using High-Capacity Mini-Roundabout: Feasibility Study.
-
Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Authors:
- Zhang, Wei
- Kronprasert, Nopadon
- Gustafson, Joe
-
Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC
- Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
- Date: 2014
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 16p
- Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Feasibility analysis; Highway capacity; Intersections; Level of service; Roundabouts; Traffic congestion
- Uncontrolled Terms: Miniroundabouts
- Subject Areas: Design; Operations and Traffic Management; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I73: Traffic Control;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01516042
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 14-4225
- Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Feb 26 2014 12:40PM