Effectiveness of a Control Strategy for Forced-Detour Traffic in Continuous Lane Closure Within a Rural Work Zone

During the 2011 construction season, the Virginia Department of Transportation completed an in-place pavement recycling project to rehabilitate a section of pavement on Interstate 81 southbound near Staunton, Virginia. During the project, the right lane of two lanes of traffic was forced to detour onto a parallel highway through an aggressive traffic control scheme. Electronic message signs were used to direct trucks into the left lane and remain on the Interstate. Signage for the right lane was deliberately sparse to increase the number of vehicles that detoured. During peak-volume periods, cars were specifically instructed to use the right lane. Field results showed that, during construction, approximately 45% of cars on average exited the freeway, whereas nearly 90% of trucks remained on I-81 through the work zone. This project compared the results of this unique traffic control strategy with simulated results from traditional work zone strategies: a lane closure with no suggested detour, a lane closure with a suggested detour, and a closure of both lanes with a full detour. Simulation results suggested that the forced-detour strategy reduced travel times and queue lengths more than traditional strategies did. This forced-detour strategy could be extended to similar locations along rural Interstate corridors.