Identification of Factors that May Affect the Discharge Flow at a Bottleneck

Abstract

This study investigates various factors that cause the reduction of discharge flow at a bottleneck on an urban expressway. The current worst bottleneck on Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway Network seems to be combined complicate factors that affect the discharge flow at the bottleneck. 5 causing factors, merging ratio, longitudinal gradient, duration time involved in congestion, environment of backlight and brightness are considered, and the impact of these 5 causing factors are investigated. Then the results supported the hypothesis that all of the 5 causing factors affect the discharge flow rate.