NTL Record

Title Travel Time on Arterials and Rural Highways: State-of-the-Practice Synthesis on Arterial Data Collection Technology
Record ID 67751
Personal Name
Creator
Singer, Jeremiah P.; Robinson, A. Emmanuel; Krueger, Jessica; Atkinson, Jennifer E.; Myers, Matthew
Personal Name
Contributor
Chu, Jimmy
Corporate Creator United States. Federal Highway Administration
Corporate
Contributor
Westat, Inc.; Science Applications International Corporation
Publisher United States. Federal Highway Administration
Publication Date 20130401
Language English
Abstract Travel time to a destination is a key piece of information that motorists want and need, and is vital for good decisionmaking by travelers. Technology now makes it feasible to provide drivers with real-time information about how long it takes to reach a given destination. The collection of travel time data is a challenging problem that deserves a systematic review. The purpose of this project was to identify, review, and synthesize information on current and potential future efforts in real-time travel time on arterials. The current report focuses on arterial highway travel time data technology considerations and is not a primer for general travel time best practices. Also, a companion report on rural travel time data collection technology can be found in Singer, Robinson, Krueger, Atkinson, & Myers (2013). The core of the report discusses available and emerging arterial travel time (ATT) data sources as well as implementation considerations, advantages, and limitations of each. These technologies researched include Bluetooth detectors, toll tag readers, in-pavement magnetic detectors, automatic license plate readers (ALPR), machine vision, connected vehicle, radar/microwave/LIDAR, inductive loops, crowdsourcing, and cell phone signal monitoring. Several implementations of ATT data collection are also discussed. In addition, two case studies are reviewed in detail (Chandler, AZ and St. Louis, MO). The report then emphasizes key lessons learned based on questions for a practitioner to consider at each step of the planning, implementation, and management process. Although ATT data collection is a relatively new and rapidly evolving area, ATT can be successfully implemented when a project is properly planned and executed. Successful implementers have carefully considered project objectives and have provided detailed implementation plans. Regardless of the latest specific data collection technology, asking the right questions is paramount, beginning with planning, continuing to selection, and culminating with execution and evaluation. Practitioners who focus on asking the right questions and heed lessons learned by colleagues will greatly increase the chances of a successful implementation.
Rosap ID dot:42523
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/42523
TRT Terms Travel time; Data collection; Advanced traveler information systems; Transportation system management; Intelligent transportation systems
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1489941
Report Number FHWA-HOP-13-028
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/67000/67700/67751/FHWA-HOP-13-028.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository