The Maryland Transportation Authority (Authority), the independent agencythat owns, operates and finances Maryland's seven toll facilities, conducted a study of experimental traffic-control devices at toll plazas. The goals of the study were to identify promising traffic-control devices that improve wayfinding for E-ZPass® customers, improve the safety and operational efficiency of toll plazas, and improve the consistent application of traffic-control device at toll plazas. The study tested experimental purpledot pavement-marking treatments. The purple dots guide E-ZPass® motoristsfrom approach lanes to the E-ZPass® Only lanes at the toll barrier. Purple dot pavement markings are non-restrictive and allow both E-ZPass® and cash-paying motorists to change lanes within the toll plaza. They are particularly applicable for center and right-hand-side dedicated E-ZPass® lanes that are difficult to locate and underutilized. In November 2005, the Authority implemented purple dot pavement markings on the northbound Interstate 95 approach to the Fort McHenry Tunnel toll plaza in Baltimore, Maryland. This paper summarizes the before/after study that evaluated the effect the purple dots had on lane changes, toll-lane utilization, and toll violations at that location. In addition, this paper summarizes results from surveys conducted at an Authority Stop-in Center to gauge motorists' receptivity to the purple dots. Results from the before/after analysis revealed a slight decrease in the rate of lane changes and slightly improved utilization of the E-ZPass® Only lanes after the purple dots were implemented. While the quantitative analysis did not demonstrate substantial benefits of the purple dots, 86 percent of the survey respondents indicated theyfound the dots helpful.
Abstract