Diverging Diamond Interchange Analysis: Planning Tool
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 12
Abstract
Many traffic simulation software tools have emerged over the last decade and are widely used for analyzing capacity, delay, and level of service at intersections, ramps, and along arterial/freeway segments. Although these tools have shown great promise, they are expensive and the data collection and input setup is time consuming and resource intensive. Traffic engineers predominantly use one of those tools to analyze a diverging diamond interchange (DDI), also known as double crossover diamond interchange. Developing a simulation model and performing required analysis takes considerable time. Because it is not necessary to obtain a detailed traffic operational analysis of a DDI while interchange alternatives are being developed, a quick and easy evaluation procedure is warranted. In this paper, a critical lane volume (CLV)-based DDI analysis methodology is developed, which could be an appropriate tool to bridge the gap. In this methodology, two intersections or nodes of a DDI, where through-traffic movements along the arterial cross each other, are considered crucial. Understanding of the crossover movements, ramp movements, and coordination of traffic movements between the two nodes and lane configuration are used in developing the methodology. Critical movements are analyzed, compared, and logically added to obtain the CLV of the two nodes. The obtained CLV is used in deriving the level of service of the two intersections in a DDI. The paper describes the mathematical formulation and analysis procedure to evaluate a DDI. Two real-world DDIs are analyzed by using the developed method and compared with simulation results for reliability and accuracy.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the help and support of the Traffic Development and Support Division of the Maryland State Highway Administration in developing the DDI analysis procedure. This work was jointly conducted at the Center for Advanced Transportation and Infrastructure Engineering Research (CATIER), Morgan State Univ.; the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay; and the Univ. of Memphis.
References
Afshar, A. M., Bared, J. G., Wolf, S., and Edara, P. K. (2009). “Traffic operational comparison of single-point and diverging diamond interchanges.” Compendium of Papers in the 88th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, National Academies, Washington, DC.
Akcelik, R. (1981). “Traffic signals: Capacity and timing analysis.”, Australian Road Research Board, Vermont South, VIC.
Bared, J., Granda, T., and Zineddin, A. (2007). “FHWA tech brief: Drivers’ evaluation of the diverging diamond interchange.”, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, Washington, DC.
Bared, J., and Saiko, D. (2010). “The double crossover diamond.” FHWA-HRT-11-001, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC, 〈http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/10novdec/01.cfm〉 (Jun. 25, 2012).
Bared, J. G., Edara, P. K., and Jagannathan, R. (2005). “Design and operational performance of double crossover intersection and diverging diamond interchange.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 31–38.
Bonneson, J. A. (1998). “Lane volume and saturation flow rate for multilane intersection approach.” J. Transp. Eng., 240–245.
Bonneson, J. A., and Messer, C. J. (1998). “Phase capacity characteristics for signalized interchange and intersection approaches.” 77th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, National Academies, Washington, DC.
Branston, D., and Van Zuylen, H. (1978). “The estimation of saturation flow, effective green time, and passenger car equivalents at traffic signals by linear regression.” Transport. Res., 12(1), 47–53.
Chilukuri, V., Siromaskul, S., Trueblood, M., and Ryan, T. (2011). “Diverging diamond interchange performance evaluation (I-44 and Route 13).”, Henningson, Durham, Richardson (HDR) Engineering for Missouri Dept. of Transportation, Jefferson City, MO.
Chlewicki, G. (2003). “New interchange and intersection designs: The synchronized split-phasing intersection and the diverging diamond interchange.” 2nd Urban Street Symp., Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington DC.
CMP. (2011). “Traffic level of service circulation methods.” San Mateo County Congestion Management Program, Appendix B, B1–B9, 〈http://www.ccag.ca.gov/pdf/Studies/Final%202011%20CMP_Appendix_Nov11_1.pdf〉, (Jul. 24, 2012).
Diverging Diamond. (2012). “A diamond interchange with a twist.” 〈http://www.divergingdiamond.com/index.html〉 (Jul. 10, 2012).
Drew, D. R. (1963). “Design and signalization of high-type facilities.” Traffic Eng., 33(7), 17–25.
Esawey, M. E., and Sayed, T. (2012). “Analysis of unconventional arterial intersection designs (UAIDs): State-of-the-art methodologies and future research directions.” Transportmetrica, 1–36.
Hughes, W., Jagannathan, R., Sengupta, D., and Hummer, J. (2010). “Alternative Intersection and Interchanges: Informational Report (AIIR).”, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC.
Inman, V. W. (2007). “Driver’s evaluation of the diverging diamond interchange.”, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC, 〈http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/07048/index.htm〉 (Jun. 26, 2012).
Li, H., and Prevedouros, P. D. (2002). “Detailed observations of saturation headways and start-up lost times.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Maji, A., and Bhattacharya, P. (2011). “Methodology for innovative intersection design.” 1st Conf. of Transportation Research Group of India, Transportation Research Group of India, Bangalore, India.
Maji, A., Bhattacharya, P., and Jha, M. K. (2012). “Critical lane volume based double crossover diamond interchange analysis procedure.” Innovations in Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics, and Highway Capacity and Quality of Service Symp., Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington DC.
Maji, A., Mishra, S., and Jha, M. K. (2013). “Critical lane volume (CLV)-based capacity and level of service analyses for diverging diamond interchange.” Compendium of Papers, 92nd Annual Meeting of Transportation Research Board (TRB), Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington DC.
Parsons, G. (2007). “The parallel flow intersection: A new two-phase signal alternative.” ITE J., 77, 28–37.
Poorbaugh, J., and Houston, B. (2006). Diverging diamond interchange, Institute of Transportation Engineers, Washington, DC.
Prevedouros, P. D., and Jovanis, P. P. (1988). “Validation of saturation flows and progression factors for traffic-actuated signals.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Prevedouros, P. D., and Koga, C. (1996). “Comparison of 1985 and 1994 HCM: Signalized intersection delay estimates.” ITE J., 66(7), 26–30.
Rouphail, N. M., and Nevers, B. L. (2001). “Saturation flow estimation by traffic groups.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Ruehr, E. (1988). “Advantages of the planning method of capacity analysis for signalized intersections.” ITE J., 59(4), 21–24.
SimTraffic Version 8 [Computer software]. Sugar Land, TX, Trafficware.
Stokes, R. (1988). “Comparison of saturation flow rates at signalized intersections.” ITE J., 58(11), 15–20.
Stokes, R. W., Messer, C. J., and Stover, V. G. (1986). “Saturation flows of exclusive double left-turn lanes.”, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Synchro Studio Version 8 [Computer software]. Sugar Land, TX, Trafficware.
Tarko, A. P., and Tracz, M. (2000). “Uncertainly in saturation flow predictions.” Transportation Research Circular, Proc., 4th Int. Symp. on Highway Capacity, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 310–321.
Transportation Research Board (TRB). (2000). Highway capacity manual, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC.
Transportation Research Board (TRB). (2010). Highway capacity manual, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC.
VISSIM Version 6 [Computer software]. Portland, OR, PTV.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 12 • December 2013
Pages: 1201 - 1210
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 8, 2012
Accepted: Jul 17, 2013
Published online: Jul 19, 2013
Published in print: Dec 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Dec 19, 2013
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.