A Novel Method to Integrate Speed and Emissions Characteristics in Pavement Marking Design

Abstract

Pavement marking is a popular method to reduce freeway off-ramp speed. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology for selecting the optimal pavement marking design that will improve traffic safety and reduce emission levels in the freeway off-ramp. Six pavement marking pattern scenarios on a freeway off-ramp were examined through the following sub-tasks. The first step focused on the testing of six selected scenarios for pavement marking design using a VR driving simulator to obtain driving behavior patterns. Next, the driving behavior pattern for each scenario was implemented in VISSIM, a microscopic traffic flow simulation, to extract the speed reduction for each scenario considering vehicle interactions. Then, the vehicle emission level of each scenario was evaluated by a Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). Through a multiple-criteria decision making model, the best pavement marking design scenario that was both eco-friendly and effective in reducing vehicle speed was selected. Study results showed that transverse line type is the optimal design of pavement marking that improves traffic safety while decreasing emission at a freeway off-ramp. The proposed methodology in this study would quantitatively support the selection of optimal pavement marking design that will promote both traffic safety and traffic environment.