Design and Management of Flexible Transportation Networks Through the Use of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

This paper describes a project in which Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) capabilities were used to create a flexible transportation system, capable of coping with multiple uncertainties. Specifically, high occupancy toll (HOT), bus rapid transit (BRT) and truck-only toll (TOT) managed lanes were examined in a case study centered in Houston, Texas (United States), to determine the benefits of flexibility achieved with this system. With a growing realization that construction of sufficient freeway capacity to maintain free-flowing traffic in urban areas will be difficult due to costs, land use, neighborhood impacts and environmental concerns, the Texas Department of Transportation has been examining managed lanes as one method to fight the growing traffic congestion problem. The authors used a qualitative analysis procedure utilizing regional traffic demand modeling and real options analysis to assess the benefits of using ITS-managed lanes. They conclude that ITS-managed lanes can be configured in multiple ways to create flexibility in transportation systems, each of which provides value when dealing with uncertainty. The use of ITS-managed lanes can delay capacity expansion construction and can create a scenario in which traffic managers can switch operating strategies between HOT and TOT lanes over time. The authors found that, in general, for the ten year period under study, the managed lane facility is most valuable when used as a HOT lane, if just considering societal time savings benefits. However, when considering toll revenue as well as time savings benefits, the managed lane facility becomes more valuable when operated as a TOT lane.

• Corporate Authors:

  ITS America

  1100 17th Street, NW, 12th Floor
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • McConnell, Joshua
  • Sussman, Joseph
• Conference:
  • 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems and ITS America's 2008 Annual Meeting
  • Location: New York NY, United States
  • Date: 2008-11-16 to 2008-11-20
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 8p
• Monograph Title: ITS Connections: Saving Time. Saving Lives

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus rapid transit; Complex systems; Flexibility; High occupancy toll lanes; High occupancy vehicle lanes; Intelligent transportation systems; Managed lanes; Revenues; Traffic congestion; Traffic control centers; Travel time; Truck lanes
• Uncontrolled Terms: Transportation infrastructure
• Geographic Terms: Houston (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01140589
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 25 2009 7:18AM