Effect of Geometry and Control on the Probability of Breakdown and Capacity at Freeway Merges
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146, Issue 7
Abstract
This paper investigates the effect of geometric and operational features on freeway merge capacity by analyzing prebreakdown flow rates and using nonparametric and parametric (survival) analysis and semiparametric analysis (Cox’s proportional hazard model) techniques. The probability of breakdown and capacity were quantified as a function of the number of lanes, ramp flow rate, presence of lane drop, and presence of ramp metering. The number of lanes showed a negative relationship with the per-lane average prebreakdown flow rate. Sites with ramp meters also showed higher prebreakdown flow rates than nonmetered sites by 150 to . In survival analysis, the number of lanes and presence of ramp meters were found to have a statistically significant effect on the breakdown probability. Capacities, defined as the 15th percentile breakdown probability flow rate, were 2,043 and at three-lane and four-lane unmetered sites, respectively. Capacities were at three-lane and at four-lane metered sites. Higher ramp flows resulted in higher breakdown probability and lower capacities at two of the four sites that were investigated, suggesting that further research is needed to evaluate this relationship.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code used during the study were provided by a third party (raw data). Direct requests for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the Acknowledgments.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank KC Scout, RITIS, and PeMS for providing the data.
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Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146 • Issue 7 • July 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 7, 2019
Accepted: Jan 27, 2020
Published online: Apr 28, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Sep 28, 2020
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