Modelling the traffic and economic impacts of a heavy vehicle bypass

This paper examines the traffic impacts of building a Heavy Vehicle bypass around a small town in rural Australia. This paper uses the example of Temora NSW. An Emme transport model of the township was developed that was able to forecast the use of the alternative bypass options for ‘through’ trips on the basis of travel time and cost. Forecasts were produced for existing traffic conditions, with traffic speeds slowed on existing streets and with HGVs banned from using some town centre roads. A cost-benefit analysis was undertaken that compared the construction and maintenance costs of the bypass with the net change in vehicle operating costs, travel times, accidents and environmental costs for through and local traffic. In addition to applying ‘standard’ environmental cost parameters, the evaluation calculated the required externality cost of an HGV using Temora Main Street that would make the bypass economic and also the implied ‘subsidy’ for HGVs using the bypass. None of the bypass options were found to be economic however which reflected the externality costs of HGVs imposed on the local community as measured by the values and parameters taken from other studies and manuals. As an alternative way of looking at the economics, the evaluation estimated (i) the required externality cost of HGVs travelling through the Town Centre to make the bypass worthwhile and (ii) the implied subsidy to HGVs using the bypass. The estimates were found to be similar at just over $40 per HGV. The subsidy could be reduced down to only $3 per HGV however if HGVs were banned from the town centre which simply reflected an increase in bypass traffic.

• Record URL:
  http://arrbknowledge.com
• Authors:
  • DOUGLAS, N
  • van den Bos, P
• Conference:
  • ARRB Conference, 27th, 2016, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Publication Date: 2016-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 11p
• Monograph Title: Linking people, places and opportunities: 27th ARRB Conference, 16-18 November 2016, Melbourne, Victoria

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Bypasses; Economics; Forecasting; Heavy vehicles; Highway traffic control; Speed; Time; Traffic flow; Travel time
• Geographic Terms: Australia; New South Wales
• ATRI Terms: Bypass; Cost benefit analysis; Forecast; Heavy vehicle; Speed; Traffic flow; Traffic management; Transport economics; Travel time
• ITRD Terms: 2709: Bypass (loop road); 132: Forecast; 1236: Lorry
• Subject Areas: Economics; Highways; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01622885
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 24 2017 12:01PM