Principle investigator: Hualiang (Harry) Teng, 434-924-1461, hht4n@virginia.edu

External contact: Catherine McGhee, VTRC

Project objective: To investigate the impacts of incidents on the traffic in the opposite direction of incidents

Project Abstract: An incident influences traffic not only in the incident direction but also in the opposite direction. There has been research on the influence of incidents on the traffic in the incident direction. The research about the influence on the opposite direction is rare. In this study, the impact of incidents on the traffic in the opposite direction will be investigated with focus on occupancy, capacity and delay. Database consisting of incident, traffic and other related variables will be developed. It will be used to identify whether an incident impacted traffic in the opposite direction in occupancy and capacity and what incidents would cause such impacts and under what circumstances such impacts would occurs. In addition to the investigation on such impacts, the delay due to the reduction in capacity will also be studied.

Tasks:

1. Develop a database consisting of both incident and traffic data
2. Determine the exact location of incidents, whether there is any reduction in occupancy and capacity, the amount of change, and when the change occurred after each of the incidents.
3. Correlate the change in occupancy and capacity to the characteristics of incidents, traffic volumes, time of day, day of week, weather, and geometric condition, etc.
4. Derive the incident delays in both directions for each incident
5. Correlate the delays to influencing factors
6. Compare the delay in incident direction with that in opposite direction

Milestones: Project will be completed in August 2004.

Student Involvement: 1 GRA

Budget. $60,000

Relation to other research: Complement to previous work on ITS

Technology Transfer: (workshops, classes, seminars, products) Presentations at conferences, publication of journal papers, final report

Potential Benefits: Better understand of incident impacts

TRB Keywords: Incident management