Citation

Hurdle V, Hauser E, Botha J, May A. Transp. Traffic Theory 1983; 8: 91-120.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Publisher varies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research was conducted to investigate the cost-effectiveness of climbing lanes on two-lane two-way rural roads. Specifically, two issues were of concern: 1) where should the climbing lane(s) be located on the upgrade to be the most cost effective; 2) on which upgrades should the climbing lanes be constructed and what length should the climbing lane(s) be. A microscopic simulation model was developed to evaluate the performance of a climbing lane. Field measurements were obtained at two climbing lane sites using four coordinated time-lapse cameras. One data set was used for model calibration and the second data set was used for model validation. Comparison of individual travel times and lane changes by segment and vehicle-type gave close agreement between field measurements and model predictions. A two-lane design of experiment was developed which employed the model in the investigation of 1) the cost-effectiveness of a climbing lane with a specific length at various locations on a specific upgrade; 2) the relative cost-effectiveness of a climbing lane with a specific length and a specific location on upgrades with various geometric and traffic conditions. These investigations led to specific conclusions, policy guidelines, and identification of further research needs. For the covering abstract of the symposium see TRIS 452544. (TRRL)