EFFECT OF LEFT-TURN BAYS ON FUEL CONSUMPTION ON UNCONTROLLED APPROACHES TO STOP-SIGN-CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS

Associated with the reductions in delay and stops that result from the provision of left-turn bays is a reduction in fuel consumption. Less delay and fewer stops mean less fuel consumed by vehicle idling and speed-change cycles. The objective of this research was to estimate the effect of the provision of left-turn bays on fuel consumption on uncontrolled approaches to stop-sign-controlled intersections over a range of volumes, approach speeds, and truck percentages on two-way, two-lane roadways. A series of paired computer simulation runs was conducted by using the NETSIM traffic simulation model to evaluate the fuel consumption of the traffic on the uncontrolled approaches with and without left-turn bays. A pairwise comparison of the NETSIM fuel-consumption output from these runs provided the measure of fuel savings due to left-turn bays. Over the range of conditions studied, the fuel savings varied from zero to more than 20 gal/h for traffic on the approach. The amount of the fuel savings was a complex function of approach volume, opposing volume, left-turn percentage, free-flow approach speed, and truck percentage. Graphs and adjustment factors were developed to describe this relation and provide a means of estimating the fuel savings associated with left-turn bays. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/901/901-010.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECT+OF+LEFT-TURN+BAYS+ON+FUEL+CONSUMPTION+ON+UNCONTROLLED+APPROACHES+TO+STOP-SIGN-CONTROLLED+INTERSECTIONS&author=D.+Dvorak&author=P.+McCoy&publication_year=1983
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Operational Effects of Geometrics. 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
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• Authors:
  • Dvorak, Dennis V
  • McCoy, Patrick T
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 50-53
• Monograph Title: ENERGY IMPACTS OF GEOMETRICS--A SYMPOSIUM
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 901
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fuel consumption; Intersections; Left turn lanes; Stop signs; Traffic simulation; Traffic volume
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00377366
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309035155
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-035 802
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 30 1984 12:00AM