Comparison of Transportation Disruptive Events in the Washington, D.C. Area and Traffic and Demand Management Strategies

Preparing for every possible disruption scenario is impossible. The overall goal of this study was to begin to better understand the similarities and differences between extraordinary disruptive events and more common incidents so that agencies can identify traffic management strategies and resources that can be applied in multiple settings as well as the limits of those strategies in the different settings. A 2009 MetroRail train collision, an earthquake (2011), and a tipped-over boom truck (2012) in the Washington, DC area provide the context for this study. This study compares and contrasts the impacts of these three major events with the more common vehicle collisions in terms of demand changes, network performance, and the applicability of traffic mitigation strategies. The data for the comparison come from rail and bus ridership, freeway detectors, and probe vehicles. Mesoscopic simulation is used to simulate the events that yield congestion and test strategies.

• Record URL:
  http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2012-04.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center

  Pennsylvania State University
  201 Transportation Research Building
  University Park, PA  United States  16802-4710

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Murray-Tuite, Pamela
  • Yin, Weihao
  • El-Metwally, Maha
• Publication Date: 2015-7-14

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 41p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Earthquakes; Highway traffic control; Service disruption; Traffic congestion; Traffic incidents; Traffic simulation; Travel demand management
• Geographic Terms: Washington (District of Columbia)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01613752
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: VT-2012-07
• Files: UTC, TRIS, RITA, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 21 2016 4:34PM