Impacts of freeway exit ramp configurations on traffic operations and safety

This paper's main purpose is evaluation of the impacts of freeway exit ramp configurations on traffic operations and safety. Summarized study results are based on a research project sponsored by the Chinese Department of Transportation to develop guidelines for safety design of freeway exit ramps in China. Geometric conditions (such as number of lanes in the upstream and downstream segments of exit ramps), geometrics of deceleration lanes, exit ramp lane configurations, etc. are the main elements to be considered in freeway exit ramp configuration classification. Google Earth was searched for the identification of many freeway ramp sites in the USA, Japan, European countries, and China. The exit ramp configurations these sites allowed researchers to survey were summarized and categorized into four types. Traffic operational and safety performances were analyzed based on such exit ramp lane configuration classifications, . Operational speed and traffic crash characteristics, respectively are the main measures of effectiveness for traffic operations and safety. Thus, for design purposes, adequate exit ramp configurations can be proposed in order to satisfy the operational and safety requirements under different conditions.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/18245463
• Authors:
  • Lu, J
  • Geng, N
  • Chen, H
• Publication Date: 2010-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 5-16
• Serial:
  • Advances in Transportation Studies
  • Volume: 22
  • Publisher: University Roma Tre
  • ISSN: 1824-5463
  • Serial URL: http://www.atsinternationaljournal.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash characteristics; Freeways; Guidelines; Highway operations; Impacts; Off ramps; Operating speed; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Highway geometrics; Ramp configurations; Safety design
• Geographic Terms: China; Europe; Japan; United States
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01329120
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 16 2011 1:41PM