Citation

Polus A, Reshetnik I. Transp. Res. A Gen. 1987; 21(6): 401-410.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0191-2607(87)90029-X

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study evaluates a new approach for reducing delay, and consequently improving level of service and safety on long upgrades on two-lane rural roads. This is the systematic provision of overtaking lanes, termed passing-climbing lanes (PCL), to improve traffic flow, safety, and capacity. The traffic impact of such lanes is analyzed for various grades, traffic volumes, and lane configurations by means of a simulation model developed for this study. Results show that this concept could provide substantial flow benefits--reduction in delay and in passenger-car platooning--with implications for better safety. Although the reduction in delay is found to be more pronounced as volume increases, these results may be obtained even with a small percentage of passing-climbing lanes. A model predicting average relative delay, formulated and calibrated on the basis of the simulation output, explains 95% of the observed variability. The economic advantages of the concept in optimizing the distribution of a limited budget among several sites, in staging construction over several years, and in adapting highway investment to traffic-demand variations are also discussed.