Modelling Operating Speed at Merging Section on the Exclusive Motorcycle Lane

Abstract

The function of Exclusive Motorcycle Lane (EML) is to segregate the motorcycles from the mainstream flow using physical separator or chevron marker. Basically, it is separated along the main stream highway and combines with main road at merging and diverging section. The merging sections of an EML at urban expressway in Malaysia have serious problems about the safety, efficiency and comfortability, because of the increasing traffic demand rate and lack progress of vehicle performance capability at merging section. The improvement of geometric characteristic design is difficult because the spaces are too dense and limited. Therefore, improvements are able only with operational and safety management at merging section. So, this research has been performed to achieve the objective which is to obtain an analysis field data on EML at merging that reflect on the traffic condition on EML at merging section. Then, the data will be analyzed to check the performance on EML. This area of study was done at Federal Highway on EML at merging section for 3 sites and took 3 days data at each site continuously counting using Automatic Traffic Counter (ATC). The 85th and 95th percentile of speed can be determined. Two regressions of model equation had been performed for speed versus flowrate and geometric parameters. For the 85th percentile operating speed, R 2 is 85.8 % and for 95th percentile speed is 78.6 %.