The Florida Department of Transportation is working to reduce the evacuation time required to get residents from their homes to safe shelter when major storms threaten Florida. One method to be implemented provides current information to motorists utilizing an intelligent transportation system (ITS). Along the east coast of Florida a system is being designed to provide information to drivers during hurricane evacuations. One important decision point for evacuees is the interchange of Interstate 95 and the SR 528 (Bee Line Expressway). At this critical interchange, evacuees must decide if they will continue north or travel west to the Orlando area. The high lodging capacity in the Orlando area routinely attracts evacuees from South Florida and the east coast. Unfortunately, there are not enough rooms to accommodate all of the evacuees during major evacuations. Traveling west on SR 528 also provides the options of continuing north on the Turnpike to I-75 or west on I-4. Interstate 95 is generally uncongested through Central Florida. If it is necessary to continue north to find lodging due to lack of vacancies or congested roadways, I-95 is an ideal roadway to use. In order to help northbound evacuees determine if they should turn west toward Orlando or continue north, ITS elements will be used to inform them of traffic congestion and lodging availability in the Orlando area.
Samenvatting