01727248

Component

https://doi.org/10.1177/0361198119895237

In recent years, rectangular flashing beacons (RFBs) and other technologies have been used as wrong-way driving (WWD) countermeasures on limited access facilities. Studies have shown that these devices effectively reduce WWD, but no research has compared the financial benefits and costs of these countermeasures. Three different methodologies were used to conduct benefit–cost analyses for RFB WWD countermeasures installed on Central Florida toll road exit ramps. The studied benefits included savings from reductions in WWD crashes, non-crash events, and injuries, whereas costs included equipment, installation, and maintenance costs. For the first two methodologies, the reduction in WWD crash risk (WWCR) at the RFB-equipped ramps was determined. This WWCR considered non-crash WWD events, interchange design, and traffic volumes. Different measures of effectiveness (turn-around percentage of detected wrong-way vehicles at the RFB ramps and reduction in WWD 911 calls and citations at the RFB interchanges compared with similar comparison interchanges without RFBs) were used in these two methodologies to estimate the WWCR reduction and associated savings. For the third methodology, the relationship between WWD crashes and non-crash events was used to determine the average savings for WWD 911 calls and citations. Before–after analyses were then conducted to determine the individual reductions in WWD 911 calls and citations. Applying these three methods resulted in life-cycle benefit–cost ratios ranging from 2.49 to 4.10 (crash savings) and from 4.77 to 7.20 (injury savings). Other agencies could use these methodologies to determine the benefits of WWD countermeasures or other technologies with limited crash data.

This paper and its contents, including conclusions and results, are solely those of the authors; they do not represent opinions or policies of the funding agency. © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2019.

English

2019

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Web

Figures; Photos; References (40) ; Tables

Benefit cost analysis; Countermeasures; Flashing beacons; Methodology; Off ramps; Toll roads; Wrong way driving

Florida

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 17 2019 3:12PM

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