There are a multitude of traffic analysis tools and methods available to practitioners to aid them in the performance of traffic operations analyses for a corridor study. Which methodology or tool should you use for the traffic analysis aspects of your corridor study? Careful consideration should be given to this decision. In many cases, the analyst will choose a single methodology or tool. However, this approach introduces a certain degree of risk that the selected methodology or tool may not be the most appropriate to use. In addition, a single methodology or approach leaves the analyst without a system of "checks and balances" that allows verification of analysis results or would assist in identifying analysis errors. This paper presents a staged approach to conducting the operational analyses of a freeway corridor study using multiple methodologies. A case study employing three distinct stages of analysis is presented. Each stage utilized a unique methodology, increasing in level of detail with each subsequent stage. Stage 1 - Planning Level Analyses Stage 2 - Macroscopic Analyses Stage 3 - Microscopic Simulation Analyses The three-staged approach was applied twice during the case study: once to determine the need for improvements (Phase 1) and again to develop the recommended plan for the case study (Phase 2). The increase in level of detail with each subsequent analysis stage was consistent with the staged approach to concept development that was used in the corridor study. As concepts were developed and refined to a greater level of detail, the operational analyses were conducted to provide a greater level of detail.
Abstract