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U.S. Department of Energy
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Precursor systems analyses of automated highway systems. Activity area I. Impact of AHS on surrounding non-AHS roadways. Final report, September 1993-November 1994

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:91611

The study considers the influence which automated highway system (AHS) traffic would have on the conventional, non-automated freeway and street system as it approaches and departs from the automated roadway. The higher speeds and capacities possible with an AHS facility will attract traffic into the AHS lane from both the general purpose freeway lanes and the parallel arterials. The increased AHS traffic will have both positive and negative impacts on the surrounding street system. The analysis includes the modeling and evaluation of the operations of a freeway corridor with and without an AHS lane. Operations with and without an AHS lane on the surrounding roadways are then evaluated using traffic operations measures of effectiveness. The surrounding roadways include the general purpose freeway lanes, freeway ramps, parallel arterials, and cross streets. Additional modeling analyzes the impact of the AHS traffic on the cross streets. The Highway Capacity Software (HCS) program is used to evaluate the level-of-service on alternative configurations of the cross streets and parallel arterials. The physical requirements of the AHS lane and ramps are analyzed to determine the impact on the surrounding streets. The modeling results are also used as input to the Activity P analysis. Qualitative as well as quantitative impacts are addressed. AHS is reviewed from the perspective of an urban planner.

Research Organization:
Delco Electronics Corp., Goleta, CA (United States). Delco Systems Operations
OSTI ID:
91611
Report Number(s):
PB--95-231650/XAB; CNN: Contract DTFH61-93-C-00194
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English