Empirical analysis of lane changing behavior at a freeway weaving section

An empirical analysis is conducted on lane changing behavior using a trajectory data set collected at a weaving section in Grenoble (France). A detailed literature review shows that strong empirical understanding of the weaving mechanisms is still lacking. The goal is to investigate the lane changing behavior at a microscopic level. Data collection distinguished lane changes from the main road and those towards the main road. Descriptive empirical analysis examines the positions of the lane changes and the corresponding accepted gaps. Results show that under heavy congested traffic conditions the weaving vehicles tend to change lane as soon as possible after the start of the weaving section. When the traffic conditions are fluid, the weaving vehicles coming from the main road tend to change lane earlier than the weaving vehicles coming from the auxiliary lane. Moreover, weaving vehicles coming from the auxiliary lane accept smaller gaps and headways than the weaving vehicles coming from the main road. The findings are questioning some results of previous works using micro-simulation to study weaving sections. As the weaving vehicles change lane at the beginning of the studied weaving section, findings ask whether the length of the weaving section is a key variable to estimate its capacity. Findings raise also some questions about the relevance of the gap acceptance theory to model lane changes at weaving sections. But further research are needed to asses these hypothesis.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHB40 Highway Capacity and Quality of Service.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Marczak, Florian
  • Daamen, Winnie
  • Buisson, Christine
• 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; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 14p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Empirical methods; Freeways; Gap acceptance; Lane changing; Microscopic traffic flow; Weaving sections; Weaving traffic
• Geographic Terms: Grenoble (France)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01506606
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-1097
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 6 2014 4:50PM