01031685

Component

https://doi.org/10.3141/1948-19

http://scholar.google.com...hett&publication_year=2006

Weather affects many aspects of transportation, but three dimensions of weather impact on highway traffic are predominant and measureable. Inclement weather affects traffic demand, traffic safety, and traffic flow relationships. Understanding these relationships will help highway agencies select better management strategies and create more efficient operating policies. For example, it was found that severe winter storms bring a higher risk of being involved in a crash by as much as 25 times—much higher than the increased risk brought by behaviors that state governments already have placed sanctions against, such as speeding or drunk driving. Given the heightened risk of drivers’ involvement in a crash, highway agencies might wish to manage better and restrict use of highways during times of extreme weather, to reduce safety costs and costs associated with rescuing stranded and injured motorists in the worst weather conditions. However, the first step in managing the transportation systems to minimize the weather impact is to quantify its impact on traffic. This paper reviews the literature and recent research work conducted by the Center for Transportation Research and Education on the impact of weather on traffic demand, traffic safety, and traffic flow relationships. Included are new estimates of capacity and speed reduction due to rain, snow, fog, cold, and wind by weather intensity levels (e.g., snowfall rate per hour).

01031686

English

pp 170-176

2006

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

0309099579

Print

Figures (3) ; References (44) ; Tables (3)

Cold weather; Crash risk forecasting; Fog; Highway operations; Highway traffic control; Impacts; Literature reviews; Rainfall; Snowfall; Snowstorms; Traffic flow; Traffic safety; Transportation system management; Travel demand; Weather; Wind

Capacity reduction; Speed reduction

Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I62: Winter Maintenance; I73: Traffic Control

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Mar 3 2006 10:28AM

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• Regression Tree Models to Predict Winter Storm Costs
• Snowstorm Event-Based Crash Analysis
• Understanding Statistics in Maintenance Quality Assurance Programs