I-66 CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM--THE VIRGINIA EXPERIENCE
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
1999
Subject Area
operations - traffic, infrastructure - vehicle, planning - travel demand management, planning - travel demand management, planning - signage/information, ridership - commuting, ridership - demand, policy - congestion, organisation - management, mode - mass transit
Keywords
Work zones, Virginia, Vehicle occupants, Trip reduction, Travel demand management, Transportation demand management, Transit, Traffic operations, Traffic flow, Traffic engineering, Traffic congestion, TDM measures, Rush hour, Roadwork, Road maintenance, Ridesharing, Ridership, Public transit, Public information programs, Program management, Peak hour traffic, Patronage (Transit ridership), Occupants, Mass transit, Local transit, Interstate highways, Incident management, Highway operations, Highway maintenance, Gridlock (Traffic), Costs, Congestion management systems
Abstract
This feature summarizes the major findings and lessons learned from the congestion management program (CMP) developed for the Interstate-66 (I-66) construction project in Northern Virginia. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) initiated the I-66 CMP to minimize travel disruption caused by construction activities. The CMP was maintained from April 1994 to November 1996. The program consisted of four primary elements: public information, traffic operations, transit/travel demand management, and incident management. Besides these four major CMP elements, the I-66 project also had special provisions in the contract to aid traffic flow within the construction zone. These included limitations on hours of construction, installation and maintenance of milepost markers in the construction zone, provision of wrecker drop zones, median crossover for emergency vehicles, installation and maintenance of variable message signs, and enhanced Virginia State Police patrol in the construction zone. The CMP was successful in maintaining peak-hour throughput, managing incidents, attracting single occupancy vehicle trips to transit, and increasing ridesharing, park-and-ride lot usage, and average vehicle occupancy rates in the corridor. In addition, the CMP was effective in moving people through the corridor during construction at levels of service comparable to those prior to construction. VDOT intends to continue CMP initiatives in conjunction with other major highway construction projects.
Recommended Citation
Dey, S, Curren, J, Buergler, B, Pardo, V. (1999). I-66 CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM--THE VIRGINIA EXPERIENCE. ITE Journal, 7 p.
