Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
likely existing and future resources available for congestion relief
community attitudes pertaining to congestion relief versus other values and needs.
Within each urban area agency responsibility should be established and agencies
should coordinate their congestion management and relief actions. Those
arrangements will vary, depending on the size, complexity, and congestion prob-
lems of each area. Coordination of tasks among responding agencies is especially
important to reduce response times to nonrecurring congestion events.
14.2 Framing Strategies for Managing Nonrecurring
Congestion
Reducing the intensity, duration, and extent of congestion created by nonrecurring
events involves the application of supply (adaptation) and demand management
(mitigation) strategies/actions that are implemented in response to the type of event
One critical element of strategies for managing nonrecurring congestion is the
application of ITS technologies (such as sensors and real-time information and
communication) whose key function is to provide early detection of random events
and to inform responding agencies about the location of the event and traffic flow
impacts. Rapid recognition, response, and recovery are essential. A critical com-
ponent in expediting response times requires responding agencies to coordinate
their functions.
14.3 Framing the Strategies for Managing Recurring
Traffic Congestion
Congestion management actions and strategies for recurring congestion should
address real problems and needs. They should be perceived as being reasonable in
terms of costs, bene
ts, and impacts. And they should be acceptable to the impacted
communities.
Key considerations include the size and structure of the urban area, location of
de
ciencies on existing streets and highways, and community policies and attitudes
regarding highways, transit and land use.
Congestion develops when demand exceeds capacity. Therefore, balancing
roadway supply and demand is essential. The approach to congestion relief in this
topic is framed by strategies that focus on enhancing roadway capacity and strat-
egies that reduce traf
c demand.
Enhancing roadway capacity consists of two basic approaches: (1) maximize the
throughput of existing roadways through operational improvements including the
