ANALYSIS OF A THREE-STREET TRAFFIC SYSTEM

BEFORE AND AFTER STUDIES WERE MADE TO DETERMINE THE CHANGES IN THE TRAFFIC FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM OF THREE PARALLEL WASHINGTON, D. C., STREETS WHEN THE OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM WAS CHANGED FROM 3 TWO-WAY STREETS TO A ONE- WAY STREET ON EACH SIDE OF THE CENTER TWO-WAY STREET. THE CENTER STREET WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE BUS TRANSPORTATION MOVEMENTS THROUGH TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING AND TO PROVIDE EXCLUSIVE BUS LANES DURING PEAK PERIODS. STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED OF TRAFFIC VOLUME, TRAVEL CHARACTERISTICS, DRIVER RESPONSE AND BUS OPERATIONS. GALVANIC SKIN RESPONSE MEASUREMENTS AND THE U.S. BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS TRAFFIC IMPEDANCE ANALYZER WERE USED IN ADDITION TO OTHER TECHNIQUES IN THESE STUDIES. AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE NET EFFECT OF THE STREET OPERATION CHANGE. THE AFTER CONDITION WAS FOUND TO GIVE USER SAVINGS OF $161,000 PER YEAR, TO REDUCE TRAVEL TIME AND DRIVER TENSION, AND TO REDUCE STOPS BY TRAFFIC USING THESE STREETS BY ONE THIRD. THE BUS LANES WERE NOT WELL OBSERVED BY OTHER MOTORISTS AND VERY LITTLE IMPROVEMENT WAS OBTAINED IN BUS MOVEMENTS.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1965/72/72-003.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • 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
• Authors:
  • Bissell, Howard H
• Publication Date: 1965

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 40-57
• Monograph Title: Traffic flow characteristics 1963 and 1964
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 72
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Before and after studies; Bus lanes; Buses; Drivers; Economic analysis; Electrical impedance; Galvanic skin response; Highway operations; Mechanical impedance; One way traffic; Reaction time; Streets; Systems; Traffic; Traffic flow; Traffic surveys; Traffic volume; Travel time; Two lane highways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction; Traffic studies; Two way traffic
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224758
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 29 1994 12:00AM