Utah Traffic Lab Driving Simulator: User Manual and Flex Lanes
Contents
1. Popo be 8 q de fa Joe Ba 8 er 14 Ba a D aen sarod Ge s66 sG u I TA Lid L 3600 W Signal States PM Peak 482. Left View PC ENDER Rear View PC E Not used IMS CAR PC a TRAFFIC PC KVM 8 KVM Switches Figure 2 2 Hardware and Software Components of the Driving Simulator 3 START UP PROCESS Three major tasks could be identified in the Driving Simulator Start Up Process 1 Power Check 2 System Power Up 3 Start Driving Scenario Each one of these tasks will have several sub tasks Each sub task will be addressed in the following manner What should you do How do you know if it is done right Illustration if needed 3 1 Power Check Press the button on the front side of the power switch Repeat this for all four power switches If done properly a green light will show up on the power switches 3 2 System Power Up 1 Power up the Opscon by pressing the red button on the top The system prompts for a Username and Password Press the key Enter on the keyboard three times No Username or Password is set Wait until the Opscon is completely powered up and continue the process 2 Power up all other computers Left View Front View Right View Rear View and TRAFFIC PC 4 Power up the CAR There is a locked compartment under the driver seat on the left side This is where the CAR PC is Unlock the compartment and start the CAR PC by turning on the rocker switch Figure 3 1 Follow the start up process on the D Monitor under KVM 7 Press this Button Unlock CAR PC Figure 3 1 CAR PC Power Up 4 Use the Remotes
3. B Be geg HH B n 8 Erz Gs yelow T7 zeg m d 564 sas 5011 song sGlred 56 12 red 2 sed red yellow ts ed mer peen Bu e bp a CENE CP g 8 so BS Gu Fiir seas SG 15 red 564 64 5611 636 sa red 0 12 red sa2 62 m red red green 3618 red Ba 8 28 Bn Z Ba 85 Ra 56 12 red 6 25 615 red saa PT red 56 12 red sed red m fa H H Fofr B A n E emm 2 LES ds oo pe E BS Be He pass SG 15 red 554 64 SGI son SGlred 4812 red me red red pees 5516 red is is A Bn se a2 n H B im ko 8 6 25 36 15 red 564 sa sa 1 362 638 5G1red 6 12 red sed 562 green green red green 5010 red d B K E 6 32 8 H g 1 B kk H H ad is saa sen s 1 red red SG 12 sed pes 561 5630 B s sud ed 33 yellow yellow sed green SG 16 red Be Bag t B8 Bu BB saa 5632 A B ir B E i a rod green 36 25 56 15 red Ga s64 2611 562 638 SG med red 5G 12 red nd 61 562 red red ted green 3610 red Bu Bo m B e i a e Wn m t gm En 8 8 u red are 3600 W Signal States AM and OFF Peak 47 WEITBOLND NORTHBOUND TASTROUND da Bao Br B 8 gu Ba BER fr 4 a m pas iw 0 1 vellew de pod CLES D EN 1 pa RSR a T Ba g Br 8 q ga ga an be n be 8 H Be For Bn IH 8 LES CR Dn pr 1 0 8 Bg ga Ba go Br MIL sow E w son
4. or merge left into the clearing left turn lane 3 Morning Peak this lane becomes a LEFT TURN LANE for both directions of traffic A vehicle in this lane may make a left turn or merge right into the adjacent though lane 4 Morning Peak to Off Peak this lane is CLEARING of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must exit this lane by either merging right into the adjacent through lane or turn left 17 5 Off Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 6 Off Peak to Evening Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 7 Evening Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 8 Evening Peak to Off Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 9 Off Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes LANE 4 1 Off Peak this lane becomes a LEFT TURN LANE for both directions of traffic A vehicle in this lane may make a left turn or merge right into the adjacent though lane 2 Off Peak to Morning Pea
5. understanding what it was that some systems work 70 11 while other ones failed 12 13 14 In 2003 a review of every reversible lane system in the United States was evaluated and published as the National Cooperative Highway Research Program NCHRP Synthesis 340 9 The synthesis was created to address the need to enhance the understanding within the transportation community relative to convertible and reversible lane use Production of the synthesis was needed by the transportation community due to the limited amount of published information available on issues related to their planning design operation control management and enforcement Forty nine states and local transportation law enforcement and emergency management agencies replied with survey information demonstrating that twenty three of these agencies were using one or more forms of reversible lane operations A review of published literature and other difficult to access reports and studies was carried out as well as a survey of current and recent practices Lastly field visits and dialogues with practitioners gave light to additional information that was used to establish seven specific examples of the variety of design and control characteristics that can make reversible land operations successful This synthesis found that many of the actual cost and benefits of reversible lane systems remain largely unexplored which if known may have been able to contribute to a decre
6. 12 No 2 IEEE 2011 pp 354 363 That T N and J Casas An Integrated Framework Combining a Traffic Simulator and a Driving Simulator In Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences Vol 20 Elsevier 2011 pp 648 655 Wolshon B and L Lambert Planning and Operational Practices for Reversible Roadways Institute of Transportation Engineers ITE Journal Aug 2006a Wolshon B and L Lambert Reversible Lane Systems Synthesis of Practice Journal of Transportation Engineering Vol 132 No 12 Dec 2006b pp 933 944 Wolshon B and L Lambert NCHRP Synthesis 340 Convertible Lanes and Roadways Transportation Research Board National Research Council Washington D C 2004 92 pp Hemphill J and V H Surti A Feasibility Study of a Reversible Lane Facility for a Denver Street Corridor In Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board No 514 Transportation Research Board of the National Academies Washington D C 1974 pp 29 32 Logan M T McLeod and C Jordan 5 Avenue Connector Contra flow Facility From Concept to Completion 2006 Annual Conference of the Transportation Association of Canada Charlottetown Prince Edward Island Bretherton Jr W M and M Elhaj Is a Reversible Lane System Safe 1996 Compendium of Technical Papers 66 Annual Meeting of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Minneapolis Minn 1996 pp 277 281 Golub A Quality of Life Study of the 7
7. 23 Table 9 1 Transition Scenarios Direction Tran ton Pane Intent Tane Transition Vehicle Test Period Origin Destination Car needs to move 2 lanes EB HON e to 5 left 3 Gaining a lane to tum left at next AM peak intersection Car at inside thru lane and EB 2a AM peak 4 d 5 Long a lane wants to go THRU next to Off peak intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car at inside thru lane and EB 2b AM peak 4 left 4 sins La wants to go LEFT next to Off peak intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car at inside thru lane and EB 2c AM peak 5 left 4 Loupe wants to go LEFT next to Off peak intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car at inside thru lane and 3a Off peak 1 wants to go THRU next EB to PM peak 3 mn p RL ak ie intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car at inside thru lane and 3b Off peak E wants to go LEFT next EB to PM peak 2 lett 2 P s n tae intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car at inside thru lane and 3c Off peak wants to go LEFT next EB to PM peak 6 EH 2 Losa Aane intersection but must move out of dropping lane Car needs to move 2 lanes EB FEE oi 6 left 4 Gaining a lane to turn left at next Off peak intersection 24 Table 9 2 shows lane transitions and some challenges for the drivers travelling in the middle lanes depending on their intended action at the next intersection Table 9 2 Lane Condi
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9. Locate icon archervissim shortcut on the desktop and start the application Wait for Use server port 8778 to appear on the screen This indicates that the connection between ARCHER and VISSIM is established 5 Press KVM 1 switch Select one of the icons so that the name matches the elevation file name from sub task 3 in this task Start the correct scenario as shown in Figure 3 2 Elevation File Name Corresponding Scenario Icon Name CFI VISSIM Elevation wrl Run CFI VISSIM Demo DDI VISSIM Elevation wrl Run DDI VISSIM Demo PAS851 lot Elevation wrl Run PA851 Demo Parking lot Elevation wrl Run Parking Lot Training Demo Figure 3 2 Scenario Selection 6 You will be prompted to accept license terms and conditions before the scenario starts loading After accepting these terms the scenario will start loading and the rotating logos will appear on the LCD screens Wait for the screen logos to stop rotating The scenario control Graphical User Interface GUI will appear on the screen with the name of the loaded scenario Type the selected name in the Name field and press Enter Wait for the engine noise 8 Once you hear the engine noise click one on Start Session as shown on the Figure 3 3 All LCD screens should be displaying traffic movements if everything is done correctly Figure 3 3 GUI for Scenario Control 6 Go to the TRAFFIC PC by pressing KVM 8 switch The monitor shoul
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11. of eighteen overhead signal gantries lane indicators on the corridor Each gantry is driven by a separate fixed time traffic controller with the timing set to correspond to the main and transition periods The main periods last for fourteen minutes 840 seconds with one minute 60 seconds transition periods The periods coded into the one hour VISSIM model are given in Table 10 1 in seconds Table 10 1 VISSIM Main and Transition Periods Period Transition From s To s AM 0 840 AM Off 1 840 900 Off 1 900 1740 Off 1 PM 1740 1800 PM 1800 2640 PM Off 2 2640 2700 Off 2 2700 3540 Off 2 AM 3540 3600 Each fixed time traffic control program that operates overhead lane indicators consists of twenty four signal groups twelve for each direction These signal groups are programmed to operate in green red mode to indicate which of the symbols to be displayed The corresponding signal heads do not exist in the VISSIM model but the signal group outputs are used for integration with the driving simulator The 27 driving simulator needs specific and unique VISSIM outputs to indicate different combinations of symbols on overhead gantries this is also the case for intersection signal heads The meaning of each signal group green time is given in Figure 10 1 separately for eastbound and westbound directions EB L ane 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 28 b Figure 10 1 Overhead S
12. or the buttons at the bottom of the LCDs to power up the screens This is where you check if the Front Left Right and Rear PCs are on 3 3 Start Driving Scenario 1 Go to KVM and press switch KVM 7 3D Monitor will display CAR PC on the screen Open My Computer and locate Network drivers Open 155 98 128 128 export shared Use the correct password to enable system connection 2 Start Steering calibration from the desktop Wait for about 1 5 minutes and note the steering wheel movement After you see Press any key to continue the steering calibration is over 3 Start RTI Dynamics from the desktop This is the elevation file that will be used for vehicle dynamics You will be prompted to enter the correct elevation file for the scenario you wish to run You should type in with the space included test lt elevation file name gt Instead of lt elevation file name gt type in one of the following names CFI_VISSIM_Elevation wrl this is generally a flat elevation that can be used for any scenario that does not have elevation changes DDI_VISSIM_Elevation wrl PA851_lot_Elevation wrl Parking lot Elevation wrl also can be used for scenarios without changes in elevation Elevation file must match the scenario you want to run on the simulator Wait until Entering the main loop appears on the screen 4 Press KVM 8 switch and login to the archer user with the correct password
13. pues 101 red 56 26 red LII 56 16 red ed s sed go g Ge Be n gn 8 8 Deen green green CO 36 11 yellow 6 red nm un sq 16 red E Ti RBn ng Br pum poen pee fen 3611 red SERAN 36 16 red Ta 6 40 so Ba die hi pen wen vom saal SG 11 red Sire ed soepen IG greva ns E su s 36 H B t Br ques green green son Give rer red Wire s36 26 yellow 6 16 yellow 506 se P H H 411 ae CES ER OH q green green aar 36 11 red TEE 6 57 Wee 5G 16 red s Pe ga gn gu popp s 36 3898 P pem gruen m ws u anne s 16 red nd ws ga B n dt Fe 6 36 2096 c green eren sn 30 11 red sa Ba Med 56 16 red tad Ee zn Th Bu NA Br pv reen geen su 56 11 red a 6 57 u 0 16 red E 1240 40 87 reen 1 656 s green com 2200 W Signal States AM Peak SOUTHBOUND s ss ted ted se o a ved ted sos ea red red OFF PEAK 11 96 15 sn re E war ted 9615 red nu nid wr red a ma ved 15 ted a Mar red A red 14 42 tod 50 25 red waa red 56 15 red a Maar red 10 15 red sad ved red B wu son red 5G 15 green 6 2H reg un 0 15 yellow ta 22 red E son green Mi 15 red 5 22 red ares M 15 red 56 22 red ER un e 38 15 red 6 12 red BE u sen 56 19 red 56 11 ed KE Teen 56 15 reg 30 22 10d Me 15 red 56 12 red w
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15. 5400 S in the City of Taylorsville Utah in summer of 2012 This will be the first implementation of that kind in Utah A lot of innovative traffic control systems are being used with this installation which can become a problem for unfamiliarized drivers The UTL in cooperation with the AAI Corporation has developed a real world driving simulation scenario of the Flex Lanes corridor The UTL is planning to use this driving simulation to assess the drivers performance and compliance with the posted signalization Any potential problems with the drivers behavior or traffic control can be pinpointed in a safe virtual environment and help UDOT with a safe and efficient implementation of the new system 1 INTRODUCTION Transportation research that cannot be conducted in the real world due to safety and costs uses Driving Simulators A simple version of a Driving Simulator can be described as a car model with driver s seat steering wheel driving commands and simulated dynamic traffic and roadway environment around The first driving simulators appeared about a century ago They were initially developed to assess the skills and competence of public transit operators in the 1910s The early driving simulators consisted of mockup automobiles that were equipped with different devices to test drivers responses to various situations Mechanical moving scenes or filmed road scenes were shown in some cases By the 1960s there were a number of auto
16. Avenue and 7 Street Reverse Lanes School of Planning Arizona State University Phoenix Urban Research Laboratory Arizona State University May 2008 37 14 15 TransCore Grant Road Reversible Lane Traffic Flow and Crash Analysis with an Update of the Broadway Reversible Lane Study Prepared for City of Tucson September 2005 Wolshon B and L Lambert Comparative Review of Reversible Roadway Termini Design 3rd International Symposium on Highway Geometric Design 2005 38 APPENDIX A Flex Lanes Signal Heads and States for Signalized Intersections 39 LAST ROUND WORTHDOUND WESTBOUND i BE EE 1900 W Signal States 40 AM PEAS Sen 0 15 red red 56 22 sod ga Li ted ied sun 5615 red red 96 22 n LET ved ted 56 15 1015 sud red 612 red ga 6321 red ed ECE 5G 13 red red 6 22 red gu a red m l se 15 36 15 red red 56 22 ved ds fs ted e 56 23 6 15 red red 30 22 red ga E red tef sd 25 6 15 red red 56 22 red ga B 1832 ved red 625 86 13 red red 6 12 m ga a d red 16 15 30 15 red red 5612 red gu ga ed ed WESTBOUND 56 green 6 12 red 652 vod 65 yellew 6 12 red 651 red 56 5 res 56 12 red NORTHBOUND a s4 ved red u 64 red red wa we red red 504 sa red red sod 64 ree red HE 54 red red 164 KZ green green 104 KE yel saw ym low 41 tASTBOUND 621 5G 11
17. CRIPTIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL LANES Out of the seven existing traffic lanes the direction and assignment of three middle lanes will be alternated in order to accommodate the heavy directional traffic during peak hours The two right most lanes in each direction will remain unchanged The three middle lanes will be alternated as westbound eastbound or left turn lanes depending on the time period Figure 7 1 shows lanes direction and assignment for the three main periods AM peak PM peak and off peak The figure also shows overhead signal gantries that will inform drivers about the lane assignment NWest A M PEAK OFF PEAK P M PEAK 4 lanes eastbound e Lanes will operate the same as today ed lanes westbound el center turn lane e Left turns are not restricted e center turn lane e2 lanes westbound e 2 lanes eastbound e Some left turn restrictions e Some left turn restrictions Figure 7 1 Lane Directions Lane Assignment and Signal Gantries Source UDOT A detailed description of each lane for the peak off peak and transition periods is given below LANE 1 1 Not Reversible LANE 2 1 Not Reversible LANE 3 1 Off Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 2 Off Peak to Morning Peak this lane is CLEARING of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must exit this lane by either merging right into the adjacent through lane
18. ENE ge Te Ee 24 Lane Condition Intended Driver s Action and Expected Challenges 25 VISSIM Main and Transition Periods eke eke kk kek kek kek kek Kek KRA Kr enne 27 VISSIM Links for Reversible Lanes Erkek eene kk AG kek kek kek KRA KAK KRA 31 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report describes the University of Utah Traffic Lab UTL driving simulator and a scenario development for Flex Lanes driving simulation The report includes the user manual of the driving simulator that the UTL acquired in 2011 from the AAI Corporation Also a description of the development of the Flex Lanes scenario for 5400 S is given step by step At the time of installation the UTL driving simulator was unique and the first to join microsimulation with driving simulation This type of integration offers major possibilities beyond those of a classic driving simulator The driving scenarios are much more realistic with controllable traffic operations on multiple levels It provides inputs of real world traffic data into driving simulation and detailed outputs of the behavior of driving test subjects This expands the level of information that can be obtained from each driving test The second part of the report is dedicated to the development of the Flex Lanes driving simulation scenario The Utah Department of Transportation UDOT will implement the first Flex Lanes reversible lanes project on
19. Hardware Components Allocation Hardware Component Software Function Illustration CAR The driver s side of the vehicle with driver s seat steering wheel and driving controls accelerator and brake and gear shifter Vehicle control and vehicle dynamics Power Switches and Cables Power and connectivity for entire system Opscon Computer with the sign OPSCON on the top Opeators console central unit for the Driving Simulator control ARCHER software TRAFFIC PC Traffic Control Deilcompu ter Generation of p traffic conditions with VISSIM Front Left Right and Rear View PCs Display Control Computers that have the names FRONT VIEW LEFT VIEW RIGHT VIEW and REARVIEW on the top respectively Front Left Right and Rear View CAR PC Computer located under the driver s seat on the left side Vehicle dynamics control 3D Monitor Monitor connected to Opscon CAR PC and Rear View PC Vehicle Control Operations Control Display Control TRAFFIC Monitor Monitor connected to TRAFFIC PC Traffic Control Front Left and Right LCD Display Control Front Left and Right PC Rearview Mirrors run ww in Remotes Remotes that turn on Front Left and Right LCDs KVM Keyboard Video Mouse Control Display Control board with keyboard mouse and 8 switches Opscon EVMI Right View PC nun Front View PC
20. UTAH TRAFFIC LAB DRIVING SIMULATOR USER MANUAL AND FLEX LANES SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT Dr Peter T Martin Milan Zlatkovic Ivana Tasic Department of Civil amp Environmental Engineering University of Utah July 2012 Disclaimer The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the information presented herein This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation University Transportation Center program in the interest of information exchange The U S Government assumes no liability for the contents or use thereof North Dakota State University does not discriminate on the basis of age color disability gender expression identity genetic information marital status national origin public assistance status sex sexual orientation status as a U S veteran race or religion Direct inquiries to the Vice President for Equity Diversity and Global Outreach 205 Old Main 701 231 7708 ABSTRACT This report describes the University of Utah Traffic Lab UTL driving simulator and a scenario development for Flex Lanes driving simulation The first part describes the driving simulator in details At the time of installation the UTL driving simulator was unique and the first to join microsimulation with driving simulation This type of integration offers major possibilities beyond those of a classic driving simulator The second part is dedi
21. a more balanced volume to capacity ratio on peak and off peak directed traffic lanes on urban roads For urban roads with two or more traffic lanes per direction that carry heavy commuter traffic it was noticed that the capacity usage of the peak and off peak directed traffic lanes varies greatly In the direction of the peak traffic congestions are common and the lane capacity is not enough to carry all the traffic On the other hand the capacity of the off peak directed traffic lanes is underutilized since the traffic demand is much lower The idea behind the reversible lanes was to increase the capacity of the peak directed lanes by alternating the direction of the middle lanes in the roadway In this way the peak traffic would get additional lane s while the off peak traffic would lose it them creating a better volume to capacity ratio in peak and off peak lanes This was seen as a better option for increasing the capacity where and when it was needed than widening the roadway and adding additional lanes Even with the long history of reversible lanes which have been used for more than 80 years there are few practices that guide their application compared to the numerous other techniques of traffic management Some applications of this system in the United States were successful while other failed due to various reasons The major concerns of the reversible lane systems are safety changing the direction of lanes can lead to direct conflic
22. ally by quantifying the effects of traffic flows and accident rates safety in two ways One by varying the signalized spacing intersection to intersection of controlled left hand turns and two by allowing disallowing mid block uncontrolled left had turns on RLS corridors By discovering what conditions left turns have on traffic flows and accident rates engineers may be able to this data to design reversible lanes which more fully optimizes the cost of the system and increases the level of safety along the RLS corridor This optimization of capacity and safety may help dampen drivers uneasiness of RLS and improve the frequency of its use among transportation agencies 14 6 THE NEED FOR FLEX LANES ON 5400 SOUTH The western side of the Salt Lake Valley has experienced a tremendous amount of residential and commercial development in the past decade This led to an immense increase in traffic especially during the peak commuting hours causing traffic congestion on many West East routes Delays at intersections and lack of road capacity contribute to this congestion UDOT has developed a coordinated strategy involving several innovative projects to alleviate traffic congestion on West East routes in and around the City of Taylorsville especially during peak hours These strategies are aimed to reduce congestion and at the same time improve travel time increase safety increase roadway capacity and lifespan and use the existing infrast
23. ane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 3 Morning Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 4 Morning Peak to Off Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 5 Off Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 6 Off Peak to Evening Peak this lane is CLEARING of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must exit this lane by either merging right into the adjacent through lane or merge left into the clearing left turn lane 7 Evening Peak this lane becomes a LEFT TURN LANE for both directions of traffic A vehicle in this lane may make a left turn or merge right into the adjacent though lane 8 Evening Peak to Off Peak this lane is CLEARING of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must exit this lane by either merging right into the adjacent through lane or turn left 18 9 Off Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes LANE 6 1 Not Reversible LANE 7 1 Not Reversible Signal gantries are the most delicate part of the Flex lanes because they communi
24. as either that the population was not educated well enough on the rules of the system or that the no left turn law was not enforced With the Flex lanes system implementation UDOT is trying to solve the left turn problem in the best possible way Public is actively involved in this procedure Within this system left turns will be allowed at all signalized intersections Special four light traffic signal displays that can display both balls and arrows will be used for lanes that change from through to left and vice versa Conditions for left turns at signalized intersection can be found in Appendix C A bigger problem is the left turns at non signalized intersections and mid block left turns So far a compromise between UDOT and the public has been made on the following turning options Left turns will be allowed onto 5400 South at all hours from Harvey Heights Road and Jordan Canal Road The initial plan was to restrict left turns during rush hours However these two roads have no other viable options for merging onto 5400 South Left turns will be allowed at all non signalized intersections if vehicles will cross only two lanes of traffic This will allow motorists on the north side of 5400 South to make a left turn and enter the eastbound Flex Lanes during the morning rush hour Likewise motorists on the south side of 5400 South will be able to cross 5400 South to enter the westbound Flex Lanes during the evening rush hour The initial plan calle
25. ase in traffic accidents increased efficiency and better use of resources 7 A study published by Bretherton and Elhaj reviewed the US 78 RLS in Georgia and found that part of the public s negative perception of RLS was due to an increase in the total number of injuries and fatalities and injuries and fatality rates along the corridor which were mostly caused by driver confusion This negative perception was received even though the installation of the RLS showed an increase in level of service LOS and operation speeds on U S 78 12 A survey conducted by the Arizona State University School of Planning found an overwhelming negative sentiment across all stakeholders of the installed RLS along 7th Avenue and 7th Street It stated that users felt they are unsafe reduced accessibility due to the limited left turn opportunities and had a reduced effectiveness due to driver confusion 73 Conversely the NCHRP Synthesis 340 found that nearly all the agencies surveyed did not report any significant safety problems or driver confusion 9 It also found that even though there have not been much analyses of the safety effect of reversible operations a large amount of empirical evidence gained from past experience indicates that drivers adapt to them readily A RLS installed in downtown Calgary Canada received great praise from its residents with the local agency citing its success due to clear realistic presentations of the facility accurate t
26. cate directly to the drivers informing them on lane assignments so that the drivers will know what action to take and to prepare for the oncoming transition The look of the signal gantries from the drivers perspective for different periods is given in Figure 7 2 OFF PEAK OFF TO AN AN PEAK JWTOOFT OFF PEAK FFTOPM DEEM DIOU OFF PEM EI UE Ue m pa NET CLEARING GEMRNG ue ix xf ig E NE CLEARING GEMANG CLEARING CLEARING wi IE y zg 6 za xn 36 we CLEARING CLEARING WES gt YX 24 x UNES UNES End Kb gt gt LANES LANE Ind hd c LANE FFE OFF TOA IPEA ToC OFF PEK D Em DEER Dom OFFPENQ Figure 7 2 The Look of Signal Gantries from the Drivers Perspective 19 20 8 LEFT TURNS WITHIN THE FLEX LANES SYSTEM The best places to implement the reversible lanes system are bridges because there are no turning movements Implementation on bridges is more straight forward than other corridors of traffic which have turning movements When reversible lanes are used in systems with turning movements their complexity increases and with that increased complexity comes more driver confusion This can lead to more frequent vehicle incidents negative public opinions of reversible lanes and an overall increase in frustrated drivers A main cause of concern with both the jurisdictional agency and drivers of the rev
27. cated to the development of the Flex Lanes scenario The Utah Department of Transportation UDOT will implement the first Flex Lanes reversible lanes project on 5400 S in the City of Taylorsville Utah in summer of 2012 The UTL in cooperation with the AAI Corporation has developed a real world driving simulation scenario of the Flex Lanes corridor The UTL is planning to use this driving simulation to assess the drivers performance and compliance with the posted signalization TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION SE SS io 1 2 DRIVING SIMULATOR COMPONENTS 5550i3k sini sela e a b n ken dev k ee rene B we Hev N HESENA EA 3 3 START UPSPROCESS lt 522 ee RR an IR BI ee 7 Del Power ETA AR EE EE qp OO nie etras ute teneo MEL 7 3 2 System Power OR EE EE ER RE N 7 3 3 Start Ree 8 4 FEEX LANES Introduction 2 2 HR UR RU OR a HIER TRIER 11 25 LITERATURE REVIEW ace eet he Rd o e o este a d s 13 6 THE NEED FOR FLEX LANES ON 5400 SOUTH esse esse esse ee se rennen nennen nennen nene 15 7 FLEX LANE DESCRIPTIONS FOR TRANSITIONAL LANES esse ee se ee se ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee 17 8 LEFT TURNS WITHIN THE FLEX LANES SYSTEM esse ee se ee se ee se ee ee ee ee ke ke kek ese es se ee ee 21 9 TRANSITION SCENARIOS tol ER 23 10 FLEX LANES DRIVING SIMULATOR SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT ese ee eren 27 10 1 VISSIM Model Development 27 10 2 Flex Lanes Driving Simulation sess
28. ces It collects data on vehicle speed and position orientation lane changing vehicle controls and traffic signal states This driving simulator is unique because of the way its scenarios are built Traffic conditions in each scenario are created and controlled with VISSIM microsimulation software VISSIM defines the number of vehicles in traffic vehicle speeds vehicle routes and traffic signal states Traffic conditions in VISSIM are based on real time data So the simulator driver is driving in close to realistic traffic environment Software ARCHER incorporates the driving simulator in created traffic conditions as one of the vehicles and upgrades created traffic conditions into 3D scenarios with roadway environment ARCHER creates scenes that driver sees at a real time rate and the environment on the screens around changes while driver is driving This is how driver gets the impression of movement in close to real traffic environment 2 DRIVING SIMULATOR COMPONENTS Driving Simulator has Hardware and Software Components They are listed in the following sections in the manner that matches hardware component with adequate software component and illustration Figure 2 1 represents current allocation of Driving Simulator components in the Utah Traffic Lab Figure 2 2 shows and defines each component of the Driving Simulator Power Switch Power PC Front LCD TRAFFIC PC man o RN Power Switch Figure 2 1 Driving Simulator
29. d for disallowing all left turns from all intersections without traffic signals The outside or curb lanes on 5400 South will be approximately thirteen feet wide instead of the originally planned eleven feet to allow more room for buses and right turns on the road 21 As for the law enforcement and education UDOT proposes to install signs stating that left turns are not allowed as well as impose demanding fines on violators of the no left turn law within the RLS To solve the education problem UDOT will introduce a simulation video to educate drivers on the laws and workings of the Flex lanes 22 9 TRANSITION SCENARIOS The transition periods off to peak and vice versa are the most critical periods for Flex lanes operations During these periods lanes are changing their direction and assignment creating possibilities for conflicts among vehicles This is where the signal gantries and four light traffic signal displays play a major role in informing the drivers about the oncoming changes Eight possible options for vehicles travelling in the middle lanes are identified depending on the lane in which the vehicles travel and their intention at the next intersection going through or turning left Refer to Figure 9 1 and Table 9 1 for a detailed description This example shows vehicles travelling eastbound but the same goes for the opposite direction A M PEAK OFF PEAK P M PEAK Figure 9 1 Lane Assignment and Transition
30. d show the correct VISSIM model running in background as shown in Figure 3 4 Make sure to turn off vehicle visualization in VISSIM to prevent the simulation to slow down De pe e Beer Dote T Tage Oar Leg Qe Dente ow gp Dev PSU AS FAS t i FNR n AZ SAR We an NZA e VISSIM Window gt Ix y e A y 2 e u rn g x o A u x Figure 3 4 VISSIM Window on TRAFFIC Monitor Display 7 The simulation is now up and running The subject driver can now start driving the experimental scenario The start up process summary is given in Figure 3 5 MT Power Switches and Cables way Y 3D PC 3D Monitor y TRAFFIC PC TRAFFIC Monitor Front View PQ Left View PC Right View Pd Rearview PC y CAR PC 3D Monitor Remotes Front LCD Left LCD Right LCD KVM 7 8 3 iv Monitor ER Bi 3D Monitor TRATFIC Monitor 1 Monitor E Monitor be Die Monitor Keyboard 3D Tasks El Software TT Hardware Figure 3 5 Start Up Process Summary Hardware and Software Flowchart 10 4 FLEX LANES INTRODUCTION Reversible lanes are an effective strategy that leads to
31. e esse ee see GE ed selen yeye r Ka NEY ee ee ee ee Ge Hek KERE RA ee ee 32 I1 CONCLUSIONS 3 uiid ERU OR N ENA OR NE ER NE d ER 35 12 REFERENCES Se ERGE 666 37 APPENDIX A 1 tee nete ee ie Cite ER EE etes tette EE OE 39 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2 1 Figure 2 2 Figure 3 1 Figure 3 3 Figure 3 4 Figure 3 5 Figure 7 1 Figure 7 2 Figure 9 1 Figure 10 1 Figure 10 2 Figure 10 3 Figure 10 4 Driving Simulator Hardware Components Allocapon eke keke 3 Hardware and Software Components of the Driving Simulator sess 5 CAR PC Power Up a a Ree be e RA ete o E p EL ON 7 GULtfof Scenario Control 5 5 2 5 Halla deya tti deci ee d HEW R 9 VISSIM Window on TRAFFIC Monitor Display 9 Start Up Process Summary Hardware and Software Flowchart sess 10 Lane Directions Lane Assignment and Signal Gantries Source UDOT 17 The Look of Signal Gantries from the Drivers Perspective 19 Lane Assignment and Transition erkeke kek enne 23 Overhead Signal Gantry Symbols and Corresponding Signal Groups a Eastbound b Westbound ici ani se ye ka cane a peak yev ax n enne nennen enne nns 29 Signal Control Program for Overhead Signal GantrleS eee k 30 Signal Head Sign and Signal Group Configuration An Example sess 32 Flex Lanes Driving Simulation 4 i 14 4y 44415544454125y15544 34 LIST OF TABLES Table 9 1 Table 9 2 Table 10 1 Table 10 2 R
32. ed a driving simulator scenario for the 5400 S Flex Lanes project The scenario consists of a VISSIM microsimulation model developed by Utah Traffic Lab and a 3D rendering model developed by AAI Corporation These two models are integrated into a fully functional driving simulation scenario with all elements of the real world Flex Lanes corridor 10 1 VISSIM Model Development The initial VISSIM model was developed in 2010 for then existing PM peak traffic conditions 4 00 6 00 pm and it encompassed the corridor between Bangerter Highway and Redwood Road Traffic counts and signal timing data were obtained from AECOM and basic geometric features and signalization through aerial and street view maps This initial VISSIM model was calibrated based on turning movement counts at all intersections on this corridor The initial model is redesigned for the new Flex Lanes configuration The Flex Lanes VISSIM model is developed based on UDOT s plans and documents for the 5400 S corridor This model is developed in such a way to encompass all main and transition periods within one hour of simulation to make it more appropriate for use with the driving simulator The Flex Lanes model consist of five signalized intersections 3600 W 3200 W 2700 W 2200 W and 1900 W and eight 3 leg and 4 leg stop controlled intersections There are seven traffic lanes along the corridor with the lane assignment as described in the previous chapter There are a total
33. ersible lane corridor is how left turn movements will be handled both turning onto and off of the reversible lanes The simplest way to handle left turn movements is to eliminate them altogether This will lead to higher capacity with the elimination of the left turn lane and left turn movements at intersections The no left option favors commuters who are passing through the area but not local residents or businesses who see the no left option as an impediment to their accessibility The of the left turn lanes within a reversible lane system has been a difficult one to solve for many cities who want to implement this system The city of Omaha decided to abandon the use of reversible lanes because a study found that the number of crashes increased after the reverse lanes were put into use 9 This led many to believe that reversible lanes were unsafe and not worth the price of increased capacity This notion of RLS s being unsafe is a common misconception among the population A study conducted after the reversible lanes were removed found that all of the increase in accidents was related to drivers illegally attempting to make mid block left turns The accidents either involved a motorist attempting to cross the opposing lanes of traffic and being blindsided or a motorist stopping in the turn lane halfway through the block and being rear ended by a driver following behind The problem was not that reversible lanes were unsafe the problem w
34. fferent periods Signal heads and signs are driven by specially designed traffic signal plans which are in this case actuated to allow for a greater flexibility VISSIM s Ring Barrier Controllers RBC are used to program intersections signals It should be noted that the signal timings operate in a non coordinated actuated mode and the actual field signal timing were not available during the creation of the model However they can easily be upgraded when the actual signal timings become available An example of the signal head sign configuration is given in Figure 10 3 The complete configurations are provided in Appendix A The figures also show the allocation and status of signal groups used in VISSIM signal control programs and the same signal groups are used to connect the VISSIM model with the driving simulator 31 SG 11 green SG 26 red 9G1 red SG 16 red SG 11 green SG 26 red SG 1 red SG 16 red SG 11 red SG 26 red SG 1 green SG 16 red Figure 10 3 Signal Head Sign and Signal Group Configuration An Example The configuration of signal states in the driving simulator corresponds to the VISSIM signal control outputs VISSIM provides a unique combination of signal groups for each time period which enables the exact mapping of signal states between VISSIM and the driving simulator The intersection signal programs are flexible and they do not require any upgrades even if the simulation periods are changed The only thi
35. ignal Gantry Symbols and Corresponding Signal Groups a Eastbound b Westbound The signal control programs for overhead gantries are dynamic meaning that they can easily be upgraded for any duration of periods or transitions Figure 10 2 shows the signal control program coded into VISSIM It should be noted that VISSIM fixed time control program does not support more than two green red time starts ends so signal groups 7 and 18 could not be coded as given in Figure 10 1 However since some of the periods are redundant same signal groups are active a unique combination of signal phases could be achieved for integration with the driving simulator at any given time 29 Signal group Signal sequence E m Red are j kal Red org Signal group 1 Signal group2 UV Red are Signal group 3 Red qre a _ i pee ma ee Signal group 5 E E Red qre Signal group 6 KI Red qre Signal group 7 _ B Red are a Signal group 8 n Red qre Signal group 9 f Red are Signal group 10 E m Red qre Signal group 11 m Red gre Signal group 12 KI Red qre Signal group13 Mi i Red qre Signal group 14 n me i Signal group 15 _ E Red qre Signal group 16 a Red qre Signal group 17 Signal group 18 E D Red qre Signal group 19 m El Red qre Signal 20 ignal group n Red qre Signal group 21 Wi B Red qre Signal group 22 E ig
36. k this lane is cleared of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must turn left or merge right into the adjacent thru lane 3 Morning Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 4 Morning Peak to Off Peak this lane is cleared of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must merge left into the clearing left turn lane or merge right into the adjacent through lane 5 Off Peak this lane becomes a LEFT TURN LANE for both directions of traffic A vehicle in this lane may make a left turn or merge right into the adjacent though lane 6 Off Peak to Evening Peak this lane is cleared of all traffic 7 Evening Peak this lane is used as a WESTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 8 Evening Peak to Off Peak this lane is cleared of all traffic A vehicle in this lane must turn left or merge right into the adjacent thru lane 9 Off Peak this lane becomes a LEFT TURN LANE for both directions of traffic A vehicle in this lane may make a left turn or merge right into the adjacent though lane LANE 5 1 Off Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this lane may continue straight through or merge left or right into the adjacent lanes 2 Off Peak to Morning Peak this lane is used as an EASTBOUND THROUGH LANE A vehicle in this l
37. l problems of the new system and provide an adequate education to the system users This report describes the Flex lanes system and explains the solutions to the common problems with reversible lanes It also presents a development of a Flex Lanes driving simulation The simulation can be used to record drivers responses and compliance with the posted signalization The next step is to develop a testing module and perform testing on selected subjects 35 36 12 10 11 12 13 REFERENCES Straus S H Driving Simulators Yesterday and Today Arizona Department of Transportation 2005 Kappe B Driving Simulators for Driver Training State of the Art In Proceedings of the 2005 HUMANIST TFG Workshop on the Application of new technologies to driver training Brno Czech Republic 2005 Olstam J J Generation and Simulation of Surrounding Vehicles in a Driving Simulator In Proceedings of the 2006 Driving Simulation Conference Paris France 2006 pp 167 176 Yannis G J Golias and C Antoniou Combining Traffic Simulation and Driving Simulator Analyses for Advanced Cruise Control System Impact Identification In Transportation Research Board 83th Annual Meeting CD ROM Transportation Research Board of the National Academies Washington D C 2004 Punzo V and B Ciuffo Integration of Driving and Traffic Simulation Issues and First Solutions In IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems Vol
38. mobile manufacturers agencies and universities which used film approach simulators for studies involving a variety of visual displays The advanced interactive driving simulation appeared in the 1980s with the development of personal computers with improved imagery These led to the development of complex and realistic driving simulators complete with imagery traffic settings automobile dynamics real time features and advanced mockup vehicles by the 1990s Driving simulators are constantly improving with the development of new computer technologies One of the drawbacks of driving simulators is the simulation of traffic environment 2 3 Traffic streams interactions among simulated vehicles driving behavior traffic signals and other elements of the traffic environment have to be realistic to create a valid driving simulation This became a major challenge especially for a large number of vehicles within the simulation 3 To overcome these drawbacks researchers turned to the development of traffic models incorporated into the driving simulation or integrating microsimulation with driving simulation 3 6 The Utah Traffic Lab Driving Simulator is designed to provide highly accurate data on driver s behavior in traffic The simulator gives the driver visual auditory and motion experience that closely matches the real world It includes day and night driving scenarios vegetation road signs pavement markings and traffic control devi
39. nal group m a Red are Signal group 23 Hi Red qre Signal group 24 _ i Red are 03599 0 840 o 840 27001740 03599 840 900 3540 0 17401800 19003540 leool740 17401800 18002640 18002640 03599 01740 01840 0 840 26402700 27008540 26402700 2700 0 03599 17401800 26402700 840 900 19001740 19003540 17401800 18002640 18002640 Figure 10 2 Signal Control Program for Overhead Signal Gantries 3540 0 27008540 26402700 Since VISSIM does not support multi purpose links connectors i e dual directions the three middle reversible lanes are created separately for each period transition Lane changing during transition periods is also taken into account so multiple connections between different links along sections are created to allow vehicles to reroute into proper links This type of rerouting during different periods required a creation of separate vehicle inputs and routing decisions in VISSIM that correspond to the periods given in Table 10 1 In order to avoid the situations of vehicles being trapped in wrong links at the end of the transition periods the start time of routing decisions is set to be earlier than the start time of the corresponding periods Again the inputs and routing decisions are dynamic allowing an easy upgrade for any wanted time period It should be noted that traffic movements are not calibrated for the use in the driving sim
40. ng that should be checked in this case is the state of different signal groups during transition periods and any new changes should be coded in the driving simulator ARCHER s scene file to incorporate any unexpected signal group combinations 10 2 Flex Lanes Driving Simulation The Utah Traffic Lab has a fully functional driving simulation model for the 5400 S Flex Lanes corridor The simulation duration is one hour with all the periods and transitions The VISSIM model that drives the simulation is not calibrated nor validated for use with the driving simulator but it was created in such a way to represent different traffic conditions The model is ready for testing drivers compliance and understanding of the system Figure 10 4 shows the current look of the Flex Lanes driving simulation 32 33 Figure 10 4 Flex Lanes Driving Simulation 34 11 CONCLUSIONS A reversible lanes system is an effective strategy of increasing capacity where and when it is needed without widening the roadway and adding more lanes It also brings more balanced capacity utilization where volume to capacity ratios on peak and off peak directed traffic lanes are balanced UDOT plans to activate a reversible lanes system on critical segments of 5400 South route in the City of Taylorsville This system should help alleviate peak direction congestions which are very common along this route Along with public involvement UDOT works to solve crucia
41. on 56 15 red 56 22 red WESTBOUND 5G 5 red 6 12 red Mitre 56 12 yellow 56 5 red Wi 12 red 052 dreen 5685 red 5G 12 red 852 ren 14 3 104 Wied san won 565 red Mi 1 10d a sa won Dk gr B Br TE NORTIOUND wa 104 red red waa ma ved sel Y as ved ved T T sed red na wa ved set 84 554 pren green 104 KE yellow eiis a 504 Ls san 56 11 green red 6 16 red ga 43 ed green mn s 11 veliew red Ma 26 red fa 96 46 0 96 tet green 9611 50 11 red v 26 red u 8 so ved green sw 6 11 red red 6 2 red Ma de son vo wen 611 s 11 red ed 26 red va 46 ga tod e en 6 11 red red 50 26 red a 36 46 138 96 yed wen 611 611 red red 30 26 red 6 46 d a red green wn 56 11 red rod 50 26 red e 46 d kl ved wen isa 21 6 11 red ted 10 26 red soe 6 36 rev green 2200 W Signal States OFF Peak 42 EASTBOUND 56 56 green 1G 1 evt Mi 16 yellow Bn 5656 gres 561 red Ma 16 red 56 36 aree SG 1 red 16 16 red 506 yed yellow x x se 38 6 15 green 54 6 21 6 11 red 6 22 red TUNE saz a red rad Make Wu soe sos Bg Ce E IR g Pa red peti green d red res 6 15 yellow wa s6 4 su 6 11 red rm 56 22 red E 562 ad red 6 26 red se Be a Br ja E 85 q sa B y as tri Fa 964 sea 5821 10 13 red 56 22 red cum 561 sa ed ted rad D
42. raffic analysis and modeling and public input which was addressed and incorporated into the design when possible 77 Even with the synthesis stating that agencies haven t had any significant problems with safety or confusion it reports that these same agencies still remain hesitant to implement reversible operations if it can be avoided This tepidness is due in part to a generally held belief that reversible operations may be confusing to drivers not familiar with this type of operation and that the agencies will require additional staffing to manage and enforce the operation 9 13 There is some direction given by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials AASHTO the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices MUTCD the Institute of Transportation Engineers ITE and the Federal Highway Association FHWA on proposed criteria and general practices of RLS although the details are not as specific or consistent as for other forms of traffic management and control 7 While not having a wide latitude in the RLS design can be seen as negative some attribute this to be a good thing as many publications have shown that successful publicly supported systems are generally designed specifically for the area in which it is used such as the RLS in Calgary That ground up design promotes thought and rational decision making leading to results that fit that particular region Wolshon and Lambert state that during
43. ructure in a more efficient manner 5400 South is one of the major West East arterials in the area carrying most of the commuter traffic It also represents a connection with major North South routes such as Bangerter Highway I 215 Redwood Road and I 15 During the morning and afternoon peak hours this route experiences heavy traffic congestions in the peak hour direction eastbound in the morning and westbound in the afternoon This route already has three traffic lanes per direction plus the median lane so widening the roadway wouldn t be an effective option Evaluating different options for increasing capacity UDOT has found that the reversible lane system Flex lanes would work best for the given corridor Implementing this system the existing roadway configuration will be utilized in the most effective manner During the peak hours the capacity of the off peak direction lanes is underutilized while the peak direction lanes are congested Alternating the number of lanes in the AM PM and off peak periods would bring a better balance of the volume to capacity ratio in the peak and off peak direction Flex lanes are planned to be built along the most congested segment of 5400 South between Bangerter Highway and Redwood Road In order to overcome all the concerns off this concept to introduce the system to the users and get support UDOT actively involves public and invites people to participate in the process 15 16 7 FLEX LANE DES
44. their evaluation of RLS 7 8 9 15 they found that there is not a significant number of published studies to evaluate the safety effect of reversible operations and it was clear that the subject of reversible lane systems represents a gap in knowledge particularly in areas of assessment and evaluation The review showed that the performance of the vast number of these segments has never been quantitatively evaluated and although some performance reviews have been undertaken their results are not widely disseminated in the general literature This lack of study indicates that many aspects of their costs and benefits remain largely unknown Such information would be very valuable to use in developing criteria and planning design management guidelines that can be used to determine the conditions that might warrant their use as well as their potential impact on safety and mobility versus more conventional techniques 8 One of the largest challenges still facing RLS is the gap in knowledge of assessment and evaluation of safety and operational effects of left hand turns Mitigation procedures such as additional signage and better traffic control devices have been shown to successfully reduce accidents on RLS however Wolshon and Lambert found that there are not a significant number of published studies to evaluate the quantitative safety effects of these procedures 9 This publication attempts to analyze the effects of left hand turns on RLS specific
45. tion Intended Driver s Action and Expected Challenges Lane Condition Intended Action Expected Challenges Lanes Transitioning with Yellow X Turn Left at Intersection Drivers feel that they need to leave the lanes with yellow X missing their intended turn Lanes Transitioning with Yellow X Go Thru Intersection Drivers don t merge to the right They will be trapped in the turn lane Green Thru Arrow Turn Left at Intersection Drivers may turn into the Turn lane too soon either hitting or blocking a vehicle going the opposing direction turning into a side street Green Thru Arrow Go Thru Intersection Drivers may feel that they want to be in the right most lane possible instead of using the Flex lane This may decrease the utilization of the lane capacity Yellow X turns to Red X Turn Left at Intersection Drivers need to move out of the Flex lanes at this point Some drivers may try to reach the intersection to make a left turn and become stuck in the wrong lane Yellow X turns to Red X Go Thru Intersection Some drivers may believe that the lane that they are in will switch back to a green arrow the lanes in their direction is expanding or others may choose to take advantage of the empty lane to move ahead of traffic 25 26 10 FLEX LANES DRIVING SIMULATOR SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT Utah Traffic Lab in collaboration with AAI Corporation has develop
46. ts among vehicles if the drivers don t respond in a proper way and left turns along the corridor left turn lanes have also to change their position and a bigger problem are mid block left turns In order for the reversible lanes to function properly it is very important to have adequate traffic signalization and to educate the drivers how to use the system and how to respond to lane transitions As a strategy to alleviate congestions along 5400 South route in the City of Taylorsville where the peak direction traffic congestions are common the Utah Department of Transportation UDOT proposes to install a reversible lane system called the Flex lanes This report describes the Flex lanes system explains solutions for the most common problems of the reversible lanes and introduces the main means of driver education evaluation and feedback through a computer based simulator 11 12 5 LITERATURE REVIEW Reversible lane systems RLS have been in use for more than 80 years 7 8 9 Their application on roadways have varied greatly ranging from high density freeways to local neighborhood streets Even with the long history of RLS there are few practices that guide their application compared to the numerous other techniques of traffic management 7 Several studies were conducted prior to 2003 on the benefit safety aspects of existing RLS These published studies and surveys analyzed existing reversible lane systems with the objective of
47. ulator Table 10 2 shows the configuration of VISSIM links for the three middle reversible lanes for the main periods 30 Table 10 2 VISSIM Links for Reversible Lanes Period EB links WB links TWLT links AM Two None One Off One One One PM None Two One EB Eastbound WB Westbound TWLT Two way Left Turn Lane A special feature of the 5400 S Flex Lanes system is the use of multi purpose signal heads at signalized intersections The signal heads are designed in accordance with the travel lane designations The intersection of 1900 W and 5400 S does not belong to the Flex Lanes segment so this is a regular 4 leg signalized intersection with split phasing traffic control Along the main corridor in either direction there are three different allocations of through lanes and three allocations of left turn lanes at signalized intersections According to the design plans there are five signal heads at each main approach except 3600 W eastbound with two standard three ball signal heads for through movements one three light dual purpose signal head for protected left and through movements one dual purpose four light signal head for protected left and through movements and one four light signal head for protected left turns The four light signal heads are not active during some periods depending on the lane assignment In addition to the signal heads there are also electronic signs that show lane purpose during di
48. um en is EI Si B Br mi B Jan B P red ed Br 2700 W and 3200 W Signal States OFF Peak NORTON ur us 64 re e ate e m od ori we wae d 567 med wa Ma m es du zeg ss 64 n e T 104 won e 557 geer ma Ma ot e a0 wur me Mia vd rs a r Wi wo ne 7 ma nem m or tes u vn rm ma Ma sed re6 a0 45 mn ee wo Ms 10 sed ga ga y an an 1 vete SS n mei ga ga ne n KU LI had LIS dad se me e ga ga sn man 3u Li zeg Mn ro reg ga ue red y n LI 26 rez u ga pend ev n LIE a 16 2 red u ga won PI m d LI ga om kel po wn AE LI red ME three ne a we p er W Li red in gr ve e we pre LL wo wi ga ga ro on n reg wm sn ga ga Ld zou B q tre sua DIE 8 t 0 m e H it B fic t B De 8 P B e Br we B8 1 1 B Ppr OUT mi LIE sel 963 me 164 red sat CEE ee Mia red Ma n vd s LIE nnd won me LIE mb a or wir b e i BET ees ane II LL d 8 m od mt reg KU 64 re e LIA 3a te mn s tes 10 5 rafen oe wu wa ma wi DEI Er Kann rn i e i NR i BES BES i mm GT j i j i iN p 1 11 AR i ti D TO id e e e ib e e 5 ger B l i amp 4 inan cs e e e sum e pe e 1 J A I i a 1 N i gt T e e ne iem em ie en sum Sum iS sam 3 2 mi LR m m mi m Di i s CM 95 91
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