01557637

Component

This study was conducted to gain insight into work zone construction and the resulting bottleneck conditions in an attempt to reduce bottlenecks created at lane-reduced work zones. Text messages and pictograms were developed for a portable dynamic lane merging system (DLMS) to be used at work zones. The DLMS unit used in this study features a dual panel message display. Two different message displays were created based on information gathered from a previous study that determined drivers’ preferences of and responses to text and graphic road sign messages at work zones. The first message display featured an alternating roadwork and speed limit graphic on the top display and an alternating “Merge Left” sign and merging traffic arrows on the bottom display of the DLMS unit. The second message display featured an alternating roadwork and speed limit graphic on the top display and a zip merge animation on the bottom display of the DLMS unit. The field study was conducted over four days at three unique work zones. Each work zone featured a three-lane freeway reduced to two lanes. Analysis of collected traffic data revealed significance in utilizing the DLMS at work zones. It was found that the first message display, featuring an alternating roadwork graphic and speed limit sign on the top display and an alternating “Merge Left” sign and merging traffic arrows on the bottom display of the DLMS unit, was most effective in promoting zip merge behavior.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AND20 User Information Systems.

01550057

15-4256

English

16p

2015

Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; Maps; References; Tables

Bottlenecks; Field studies; Graphics; Measures of effectiveness; Merging traffic; Messages (Communications); Traffic data; Variable message signs; Work zone traffic control

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2015 Paper #15-4256

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 30 2014 1:23PM