Simulation and Analysis of Freeway Lane Reversal for Coastal Hurricane Evacuation
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 133, Issue 1
Abstract
Following the unprecedented multistate evacuation for Hurricane Floyd in 1999, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety jointly developed a lane reversal plan for Interstate 40 to facilitate evacuation of residents and tourists in southeastern North Carolina. Prior to the 2003 hurricane season, the NCDOT sponsored a two-year research to address areas of operational concern. The first year research findings resulted in modifications to the original lane reversal plan. The second year’s findings showed the modified reversal plan to be effective in expediting evacuation from the coastal threat zone. However, modeling of the entire lane reversal plan revealed a potentially extensive queue formation at the contraflow termination point. This paper presents an overview of the project along with the principal research findings and resulting plan modifications. In addition, this paper highlights conclusions and recommendations applicable to the general emergency evacuation problem.
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Acknowledgments
The writers dedicate this paper to the late Don Goins, who served as NCDOT Chief Engineer and provided leadership to the original I-40 Reversal Control Group. The writers would also like to thank the other original control group members, Operations Chief Doug Hoell (DEM) and Major W. R. Price (SHP). This work was sponsored by the NCDOT, and the writers are grateful for the support. The writers would like to thank Mustan Kadibhai, P.E., and Shannon Lasater, P.E., who served as NCDOT Project Monitors and provided invaluable assistance. The project technical committee, chaired by Kelly Damron, P.E., and Co-Chair Rob Stone, P.E., provided crucial guidance without which this project would not have been successful. The writers would also like to specifically thank the following individuals for their dedicated support—H. Alan Pope, P.E., Jackson Provost, P.E., and Roger Hawkins of NCDOT Division 3; Don Bennett, P.E. and Sergeant Edward Gibson of the City of Wilmington; Ed Jenkins of DCCPS Division of Emergency Management; and Warren Lee of New Hanover County Emergency Management.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 133 • Issue 1 • March 2007
Pages: 61 - 72
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Nov 21, 2005
Accepted: Sep 19, 2006
Published online: Mar 1, 2007
Published in print: Mar 2007
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