Effect of toll roads on travel time reliability within its vicinity: a case study from the state of North Carolina

ABSTRACT

This research is carried out to evaluate the efficacy of toll roads in reducing travel time and improving travel time reliability on links within its vicinity, using data for the Triangle Expressway in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Various travel time reliability measures were computed for each link, referred to as Traffic Message Channel (TMC), by day-of-the-week and time-of-the-day. The travel time reliability of the links adjacent to the toll roads (both the parallel route and the cross streets) before construction, during phase 1 operation, during phase 2 operation, and after opening the toll road for complete service was examined. The statistical tests reveal a notable improvement in travel time reliability measures within the vicinity of the toll road after opening the toll road for complete service. The methodology and study results help transportation planners and engineers in comparing the performance or efficiency of toll roads/managed lane facilities in terms of travel time reliability and enhancing the sustainability of the transportation system.

KEYWORDS:

• Toll road
• travel time reliability
• planning time
• buffer time
• buffer time index
• transportation project
• evaluation

Acknowledgments

This paper is prepared based on information collected for a research project funded by the United States Department of Transportation - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (USDOT/OST-R) University Transportation Centers Program (Grant # 69A3551747127). The authors sincerely thank the staff of NCDOT and the city of Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDoT) for their help with data required for the study.

Disclaimer

This paper is disseminated in the interest of information exchange. The views, opinions, findings, and conclusions reflected in this paper are the responsibility of the authors only and do not represent the official policy or position of the USDOT/OST-R, or any other State, or the University of North Carolina at Charlotte or other entity. The authors are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. This paper does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation [Grant # 69A3551747127].