Developing a model for estimating delay at two-lane highway work zones

Abstract

Maintenance, construction or rehabilitation activity on a two-lane highway often requires a lane closure and the highway’s remaining lane serves two-directional traffic within the work zones by providing alternating right-of-way. This alternating traffic control scheme is commonly referred to as one-way traffic control. Motorist delay resulting from the implementation of one-way traffic control are typically significant. This paper presents a simulation-based approach for estimating delay distributions imposed on individual vehicles passing through the work zones. An event-driven micro-simulation model was developed. In order to identify distributions of traffic flow characteristics, Inverse CDF (Cumulative Density Function) method was used. Simulation experiments were conducted by varying traffic flow conditions and work zone operating conditions. Proposed model can be used for a priori evaluation of the resulting delays from the one way traffic control at work zones and for identifying appropriate work zone operating strategies such as work zone physical length, hours of operation and the need for detour routes to minimize impacts.