TRAFFIC FLOW ON FREEWAY UPGRADES

Traffic flow characteristics on freeway upgrades in Germany were analyzed, and a combination of measurements, analyses of continuous counting results, and microscopic simulations was performed. From these results a macroscopic traffic flow model for freeway upgrades based on a two-stage linear speed-density relation was developed. All relevant external influences such as degree of gradient and length of upgrade together with traffic flow parameters such as volume or proportion of heavy vehicles may be included through specific parameters. On the basis of this analysis, it was found that capacity depended solely on the degree of the gradient. Capacity was not influenced by gradient length. Velocity, however, was determined not only by the degree of the gradient but also by the length of the upgrade (up to L </= 4,000 m). Results were formulated to be ready for application in practice. They form, for instance, the basis of the chapter on freeways in the new German version of the U.S. "Highway Capacity Manual," "Handbuch fur die Bemessung von Strassenverkehrsanlagen."

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/1883-13
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=TRAFFIC+FLOW+ON+FREEWAY+UPGRADES&author=W.+Brilon&author=A.+Bressler&publication_year=2004
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Public/Blurbs/155481.aspx
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1883, Traffic Flow Theory and Highway Capacity and Quality of Service 2004.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Brilon, W
  • Bressler, A
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 112-121
• Monograph Title: TRAFFIC FLOW THEORY AND HIGHWAY CAPACITY AND QUALITY OF SERVICE 2004
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1883
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freeways; Highway capacity; Macroscopic traffic flow; Microsimulation; Traffic flow; Traffic models; Upgrades (Roads)
• Identifier Terms: Highway Capacity Manual
• Geographic Terms: Germany
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I71: Traffic Theory;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00983365
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 030909478X
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 21 2004 12:00AM