Fuel savings from free u-turn lanes at diamond interchanges. Research report

Technical Report · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:569637

Laboy-Rodriguez, L; Lee, C E; Machemehl, R B

The vehicle emission simulation feature of the TEXAS (Traffic Experimental Analytical Simulation) Model for Intersection Traffic in its Version 3.2 was used to demonstrate the potential fuel savings that can be realized from the provision of free u-turn lanes at diamond interchanges. More than 2000 runs of the model were made to compare the estimated amount of fuel consumed by u-turning vehicles using a free u-turn lane with that consumed by a similar number of such vehicles reversing direction through the two closely-spaced intersections of this type interchange. The observed traffic, geometric configuration, and traffic signal control at six existing diamond interchanges in Texas served as the basis for case studies in this research. Each interchange was evaluated over a range of traffic volumes and u-turn demand scenarios with, and without, free u-turn lanes.

• Research Organization: Department of Transportation, College Station, TX (United States). Southwest Region Univ. Transportation Center
• OSTI ID: 569637
• Report Number(s): PB--98-121957/XAB; SWUTC--97-467301-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
FUEL CONSUMPTION
ROADS
SIMULATION
TEXAS
TRAFFIC CONTROL