Evaluating the Effectiveness of Traffic Diversion and Managed Lanes on Highway Work Zones

Temporary work zones (TWZs) have become the second largest contributor to the non-recurring delay of U.S. highways, causing nearly 24 % of all non-recurring delay and 10 % of overall delay. Efficient traffic management in vicinity of a TWZ may greatly reduce the total cost attributed to this delay, including user and agency costs. Therefore, it is desirable to develop an accurate model to assist in evaluating the impact of traffic diversion and managed lanes (i.e. the use of road shoulders) and alternatives for mitigating congestion. The objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model that can be used to quantify impacts of planned traffic diversion and managed lanes for TWZs on multi-lane highways, considering prevailing road capacity, and time-varying traffic volumes. The findings of this study would be useful in developing decision support guidance on alternative strategy selection to mitigate traffic congestion caused by a work zone.