Citation

Claros B, Chitturi M, Bill A, Noyce DA. Transp. Res. Rec. 2021; 2675(10): 367-380.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/03611981211011476

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Critical and follow-up headways are the foundation for estimating the saturation flow of permissive left-turns at signalized intersections. Current critical and follow-up headways recommended in the 2016 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) are based on limited data collected from five intersections in Texas in the 1970s. This study analyzed over 2,500 left-turning vehicles at 45 intersection approaches, provides insights into gap acceptance parameters, and evaluates the effect of different site-specific factors. Video data were collected and processed from different geographical regions in the United States--Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Using the maximum likelihood method to estimate gap acceptance parameters, the mean critical headway was 4.87 s and the mean follow-up headway was 2.73 s. To account for site-specific characteristics, the effect of several geometric and operational variables on critical and follow-up headway were explored. Through a meta-regression analysis, the posted speed limit and width of opposing travel lanes were found to have a significant effect on gap acceptance parameters.

RESULTS showed that with decreasing posted speed limit and width of opposing lanes, critical and follow-up headways also decreased, resulting in greater saturation flows. When site-specific saturation flow estimates were compared with HCM saturation flow estimates, the differences ranged from −30% to +23%. This paper quantifies and illustrates the impact of site-specific characteristics on gap acceptance parameters and saturation flow.

Language: en