U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| REPORT |
| This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
 |
| Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-059 Date: November 2017 |
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-16-059 Date: November 2017 |
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Travel time information presented at key decision points such as freeway entrance approaches can be a powerful tool for operators and managers to better inform travelers. In turn, travelers can make better decisions and take proper actions based on this information. In addition to location of information, optimal presentation increases the likelihood that a traveler will utilize it properly.
The purpose of the project “Travel Time Displays at Freeway Entrance Approaches” was to explore the optimal ways to provide travel time information at freeway entrance approaches to drivers and to evaluate the influence of travel time information on their route choices and diversion behaviors. The studies presented in this report provide both laboratory and field insights into message format and location, as well as resulting behaviors by commuters. The intended target audiences for this report are transportation professionals involved in the management, planning, engineering, research design, and operations of traffic on freeway and arterial facilities. This includes managers, supervisors, planners, researchers, engineers, designers, and traffic operations staff.
It is hoped that the guidance distilled from these studies will help operators and managers provide better travel time information to the traveling public. Implementing the findings of this report will help transportation operations professionals provide more complete travel time information on roadway networks and allow users to make better route choices, thereby decreasing travel times and congestion.
Monique R. Evans, P.E., CPM
Director, Office of Safety
Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.
The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.
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1. Report No. FHWA-HRT-16-059 |
2. Government Accession No. |
3. Recipient’s Catalog No. |
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4. Title and Subtitle Travel Time Displays at Freeway Entrance Approaches |
5. Report Date November 2017 |
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6. Performing Organization Code: |
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7. Author(s) Emanuel Robinson, Neil Lerner, Jeremiah Singer, Daniela Baragan, Kathryn Kulbicki, Janna Kline, and Daniel Kellman |
8. Performing Organization Report No. |
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9. Performing Organization Name and Address
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10. Work Unit No. |
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11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-12-D-00045 |
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12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Office of Safety Research and Development |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report; February 2014–June 2017 |
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14. Sponsoring Agency Code |
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15. Supplementary Notes Government Task Manager: Brian Philips, 202-493-3468, Federal Highway Administration; Traffic Management Center Pooled Fund Study: Jimmy Chu, 202-366-3379, FHWA. |
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16. Abstract The Federal Highway Administration as well as State and local agencies face the challenge of providing real-time travel time information to motorists in a manner that allows them to take full advantage of it. One factor contributing to the limited effects of current systems is that the travel time displays are not optimally located. The purpose of this project was to explore the best means of providing travel time information to drivers as they approach a freeway entrance and evaluate how this influenced route choice and diversion. The project consisted of two experimental tasks. The first task was a laboratory-based experiment in which participants were presented with scenarios and video of arterial travel time (ATT) displays and then were asked to provide ratings and to offer location recommendations. The second task was a field implementation over 11 weeks to investigate behavior, ratings, and use of both freeway and ATT information provided near a freeway entrance approach. Information was provided via a variable message sign and in-vehicle. A main outcome of both studies was a better understanding of optimal ways and preferred locations for presenting freeway and ATT information to commuters. Guidance and recommendations are provided. |
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17. Key Words Changeable message signs (CMS), arterial travel time (ATT), intelligent transportation systems (ITS), traveler information, decisionmaking, human factors, travel behavior |
18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. http://www.ntis.gov |
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19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 100 |
22. Price N/A |
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| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed page authorized | ||||||||
SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors
| ATT | arterial travel time |
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| CMS | changeable message sign |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| FTT | freeway travel time |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| ITE | Institute of Transportation Engineers |
| ITS | intelligent transportation systems |
| MUTCD | Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices |
| TMC | Transportation Management Center |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| US-1N | U.S. Route 1 North |
| VDOT | Virginia Department of Transportation |
