STUDY OF TRAFFIC FLOW ON A RESTRICTED FACILITY. REPORT II. SUMMARY

In 1971 a project was initiated to study traffic flow through a constricted portion of a freeway. The investigation, in three phases, utilized the northbound tube of the Baltimore Harbor tunnel. The objectives of the project are to increase the tunnel throughout, improve the quality of flow and safety, and to better understand traffic flow theory applied to a restricted facility. A pre-timed traffic signal located between the toll booth and the entrance to the tunnel was used to control traffic during selected evening peak periods. An optimal control policy for operating the signal and selecting the proper cycle length was developed based on the Markov process. Actual data collection and control were limited to late 1973 and early 1974 due to numerous delays in hardware installation.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored in part by Maryland State Highway Administration, Brooklandville. Bureau of Research. See also PB-260 730.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Maryland, College Park

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  College Park, MD  United States  20742

  Maryland Department of Transportation

  State Highway Administration, 707 N Calvert Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21202

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Carter, Everett C
  • Loutzenheiser, R C
  • PALANISWAMY, S P
• Publication Date: 1974-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 101 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Constrictions; Data collection; Flow; Freeways; Highway traffic; Highway traffic control; Markov processes; Policy; Test facilities; Theory; Traffic control; Traffic engineering; Traffic flow; Traffic flow theory; Traffic safety; Traffic signals; Traffic surveys; Tunnels; Vehicular tunnels
• Old TRIS Terms: Vehicular traffic
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147306
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: TSC-0004, FHWA/MD/R-76/10
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 15 1977 12:00AM