Traveler-Oriented Traffic Performance Metrics Using Real Time Traffic Data from the Midtown-in-Motion (MIM) Project in Manhattan, NY

In a congested urban street network the average traffic speed is an inadequate metric for measuring speed changes that drivers can perceive from changes in traffic control strategies. A driver – oriented metric is needed. Stop frequency distributions were developed for avenue segments in Manhattan, New York City, from known vehicle travel times for the am, midday, and pm peak hours. The stop frequency metrics were developed from archived real-time data for twenty avenue segments in Midtown Manhattan. Additional data sources included ETC (EZ-Pass) readers, Google Earth, and records of Traffic Signal Strategies. Using the stop frequency metric it is possible to evaluate the benefits of adaptive traffic control systems (ATCS) over pre-ATCS deployment, by comparing the number of vehicles stopping more than an acceptable number of stops. Relationships were developed between average speed and a stop frequency threshold representing driver’s perception of annoyance. In a very dense traffic network, where competition for street space among a multiplicity of users is very intense (as in Manhattan), ATCS implementation needs to be combined with the deployment of active traffic enforcement. To be able to measure the drivers’ benefits of ATCS deployment it is fundamental to collect robust pre-deployment data.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Traffic-Performance-Metrics_0.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  • http://www.utrc2.org/publications/final-traffic-performance-metrics?utm_source=Final+Reports&utm_campaign=02-18-14+PR-Final+Reports&utm_medium=email
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program. Cover title: Development of Traffic Performance Metrics Using Real-time Traffic Data.
• Corporate Authors:

  Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn

  Department of Civil Engineering, 6 MetroTech Center
  Brooklyn, NY  United States  11201

  University Transportation Research Center

  City College of New York
  Marshak Hall, Suite 910, 160 Convent Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10031

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Falcocchio, John C
  • Prassas, Elena S
  • Xu, Zeng
• Publication Date: 2013-10-31

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 137p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adaptive control; Automobile drivers; Average travel speed; Real time information; Stopping; Time periods; Traffic control devices; Traffic data; Travel time; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: Manhattan (New York, New York)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01516471
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 49111-33-21
• Files: UTC, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 28 2014 1:32PM