DEVELOPMENT OF PRELIMINARY CONGESTION INDICES FOR URBAN FREEWAYS IN TEXAS

Traffic congestion on urban freeways in Texas is a growing concern; freeways in each of the five largest cities in Texas experience some degree of congestion every weekday, yet no quantitative measure of freeway congestion has been developed. This report documents the results of an effort to develop a preliminary freeway congestion index. Elements of congestion are discussed, and measures of congestion which can be derived from available data are presented. Several candidate congestion indices are identified, and values for each are calculated and compared for nineteen selected freeways in five Texas cities. The study utilizes only readily available data; as a consequence, the results need to be viewed as preliminary, since data from a limited number of locations are used to describe an entire segment of roadway. Finally, recommendations are made of the best index to use for various applications. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011
• Authors:
  • HOLDER, R W
  • Christiansen, D L
  • Fuhs, C A
• Publication Date: 1979-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 36 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freeways; Indexes (Information management); Measurement; Traffic congestion; Urban highways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Selecting
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I71: Traffic Theory; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319196
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-79/25+205-7 Intrm Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: Res Study 2-10-74205
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 11 1980 12:00AM