Evaluating Operational Implications of Reduced Lane and Shoulder Widths on Freeways
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 142, Issue 11
Abstract
As the demand for additional capacity on urban freeways continues to increase, there is a need to better understand how to optimize the lane and shoulder configurations so as to improve capacity without adversely impacting operating speed. The overall objective for this research effort was to identify the operational implications of using reduced lane and shoulder widths on freeways. The operational analysis found speeds (2.2 mph) higher for a 3.7 m (12 ft) lane as compared to a 3.4 m (11 ft) lane. The authors developed an equation that can be used to predict speeds per lane for freeway locations with boundary conditions similar to those present in the study database.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 142 • Issue 11 • November 2016
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 5, 2015
Accepted: Apr 18, 2016
Published online: Jun 23, 2016
Published in print: Nov 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Nov 23, 2016
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