A methodology for evaluating the capacity of a toll plaza was developed, and level-of-service (los) criteria for toll area traffic were established. Los for toll facilities should be quantified for several reasons. First, quantification of the los would enable designers to evaluate design alternatives using accepted standards. Second, it would provide a scientifically sound basis for comparing trafficoperations of various facilities. Third, it would furnish a means to evaluate before-and-after conditions and thus determine the effectiveness of any improvement. Finally, it would give the general public and legislative representatives a readily understandable and yet scientifically established measure of overall performance. Traffic data at the four plazas of the richmond-petersburg turnpike in virginia were collected using synchronized video cameras. The capacity of the toll booths was found to range from 600 to 750 passenger cars perhour, depending on the type of toll collection. Average density, which is highly correlated with volume-to-capacity ratios, can be usedas a criterion for defining los for toll plaza areas. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1320, Freeway operations, highway capacity, and traffic flow 1991.
Samenvatting