Optimizing Speed Limits Upstream of Freeway Reconstruction and Expansion Work Zones Based on Driver Characteristics
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 146, Issue 7
Abstract
Traffic incidents occurring in freeway work zones mainly include rear-end accidents and roadside accidents, as well as collisions between vehicles and traffic facilities and construction personnel. Speeding is the key factor causing all these incidents. Therefore, in this study, to ensure the construction and traffic safety in the process of freeway reconstruction and expansion, the setting of speed limit signs in a traffic-free flow state upstream of the work zones is investigated. Based on the analysis of the braking and visual characteristics of drivers, two new approaches are proposed for individually calculating the speed limit values and spacing among the gradient speed limit signs (GSLS) upstream of the work zones. Subsequently, these approaches are applied to the reconstruction and expansion engineering project from Jilin to Longjia Airport on the Huiwu Freeway. The research results show that when the design speed is , the maximum daytime speed limit upstream of the freeway reconstruction and expansion work zones is , and it is appropriate to set the speed limit in decrements of ; also, the maximum nighttime speed limit is , and it is appropriate to set the speed limit in decrements of . A positive linear relationship exists between the spacing and speed limit values, and the spacing among the nighttime speed limit signs is greater than that for the daytime speed limit signs.
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Data Availability Statement
The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
Acknowledgments
This study is supported by The National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFB1600902), The Ministry of Education (MOE) Layout Foundation of Humanities and Social Sciences (No. 18YJAZH009), and The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51778063).
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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: Oct 3, 2019
Accepted: Feb 26, 2020
Published online: May 14, 2020
Published in print: Jul 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Oct 14, 2020
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