Fundamentals of Transportation Engineering

Instructor: Dr. Reem Sabouni

Term Paper

Student ID
Gaith Murshed 1065784
Ali Yasser 1061064
Ahmed Salah Khalaf 1065111
Osman Amir

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

CHAPTER 2: Background

CHAPTER 3: Discussion

CHAPTER 4: Project Planning

CHAPTER 5: Regulations and rules regarding HOV Lanes

CHAPTER 6: Design and Operations

CHAPTER 7: Advantages and Disadvantages of HOV Lanes

CHAPTER 8: Safety Regulations of HOV Lanes

CHAPTER 9: Conclusion

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 Executive Summary

HOV lanes are one or two lanes on a highway with use limits to promote ridesharing and

limit car miles traveled (VMT). Vanpools, community buses, and carpools are types of high

occupancy cars, which have a driver and at least two passengers. Such limits are only in

effect during peak hours or can be lifted at any time. HOV lanes must be consciously

implemented since they can often intensify rather than fix issues. This study examines and

analyzes how HOV lanes operate, how they are tracked, amongst many other critical issues

that help us better understand and comprehend High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes. HOV lanes,

in general, could support the transportation system if they were carefully planned to develop

and preserve the system's protection. HOV lanes, diamond lanes, bus lanes, carpool lanes,

and 2+ lanes are some of the terms used to describe these lanes. They are only allowed to be

used in high-capacity vehicles. The HOV lane, which will be wider than the adjacent lanes,

can cause additional traffic. HOV lanes are designed to allow drivers to use ridesharing and

public transit, ease congestion in daily lanes of traffic, and increase overall traffic flow. High-

occupancy toll (HOT) lanes have been built in areas where HOV lanes are overcrowded. This

is different from HOV lanes in that only single-occupant vehicles can access them for a fee.

Users may be allowed to use HOT lanes at all times while HOV lanes are open or use of

HOT lanes may be limited at the busiest times. HOV lanes are normally located inside (left)

lanes and are marked by highway signage and diamond markings drawn on the pavement. A

straight white line typically separates them from the other lanes on the highway. Depending

on the highway and/or time of day, the HOV lane minimum is either 2+ or 3+ people per car.

Regular HOV lanes are open to motorcycles. Further information and details regarding the

HOV lanes will be done and proven throughout this report.

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Chapter 1: Introduction

As starters, HOV classifications increase the flexibility of public transportation and involve

the introduction of a priority system on all forms of efficient ride-sharing transportation. This

thesis focuses on and discusses HOV lanes, not bus lanes or other lanes. High-occupancy

vehicle lanes have been developed in a number of European cities, but they are better

recognized in other countries.

Knowing that the goals of using high occupancy methods to evaluate cars are the same

everywhere. Bus lanes help to enhance public transportation, functionality, and appeal. These

lanes are widely used in non-rural areas around the world. The bulk of diamond lanes begin

as bus lanes or have bus priority as their main aim. Buses, carpools, vanpools, and bicycles

may use direct access ramps to access the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in the

freeway's middle. They converge into the HOV lane from within the median, either from

above or below the mainline.

Both for HOVs and general-purpose freeway traffic, direct access ramps increase

accessibility, relieve congestion, save time, and enhance travel time efficiency. High

occupancy vehicles may have difficulty merging left across general purpose lanes to enter the

HOV lane during congested hours, posing a safety issue for all expressway users.

As buses, especially articulated (additional amount) buses, begin to combine, traffic

congestion in the lanes they pass through can build up over time. Carpools, vanpools, taxis,

and bikes will now connect directly to HOV lanes, eliminating the need for them to weave

between other lanes of traffic.

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Nine of the ten direct access ramps currently in operation allow vehicles with two or more

drivers to use them. HOV lanes have the same eligibility and usage conditions as direct

access ramps, but they are only available to HOVs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even

though some Eastside highway HOV lanes are open to all traffic late at night, direct entry

ramps are only for HOVs.

Chapter 2: Background

A high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane, also known as a carpool lane, is a dedicated lane for

carpools, vanpools, emergency vehicles, and public transportation vehicles. These lanes are

usually next to the general-purpose lanes, allowing carpoolers and bus riders to avoid traffic

in the adjacent lanes. The term "2-plus" refers to the minimum number of occupants required

to apply for a lane.

By allowing carpoolers and transit riders to bypass traffic, HOV lanes save time. HOV lanes

are less congested since most drivers, particularly during rush hour, are driving alone,

allowing carpoolers and transit vehicles a less congested ride. This will encourage drivers

who normally ride alone to carpool or take public transportation, resulting in more cars being

moved in fewer vehicles, which benefits everyone. HOV lane rules vary and are normally

written. HOV lanes are usually reserved for vehicles carrying two or more passengers, but

they may also be used by motorcycles or vehicles that run on alternative fuels (hybrid or

electric vehicles).

HOV lanes are designed to encourage people to use ridesharing and public transit, relieve

congestion in regular lanes of traffic, and increase overall traffic flow. High-occupancy toll

(HOT) lanes have been installed in areas where HOV lanes are overcrowded. These are

different from HOV lanes in that only single-occupant vehicles can use them for a fee. Users

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may be able to use HOT lanes at all times when HOV lanes are available, or use of HOT

lanes may be limited during the busiest times.

Chapter 3: Discussion

Heavy traffic on highways and arterioles is nothing new to Boston. One of the congested

roads leading into and out of the downtown area is the i-93 southeast expressway By the early

1990s, MassDOT had completed feasibility studies for introducing a short-term HOV Lane

solution that would last for ten years or less before new construction to extend the highway,

which would cost between $300 million and 1.2 billion dollars.

Southeast Expressway was carrying 190000 vehicles a day at the time. On both the

northbound and southbound directions of I 93 from Quincy to Seven Hill, a distance of six

miles, the decision was made to construct contraflow lanes using a movable barrier device

called the road zipper. Positive barrier separation between opposing traffic lanes reduced the

risk of head-on collisions, which was one of the main reasons MassDOT chose the road

zipper as the best option for implementation. [ CITATION Tra15 \l 1033 ].

The I 93 managed lanes facility is still operational today, 20 years after it was first installed

and ten years after it was thought that the device would no longer be beneficial to the city.

The barrier transfer machine lifts the barrier passes it through a conveyor underneath the

machine and sets it down to create a safe dynamic contraflow lane. The HOV lanes are open

every weekday, and the AM and PM lanes can accommodate up to 80200 vehicles per day

[ CITATION Lin151 \l 1033 ]. Since the current space is not large enough to accommodate a

breakdown lane running the length of the building, access to the HOV lanes is restricted to

the terminal ends.

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Several sites in the system have incident control areas. During working hours, there are areas

where vehicles can pull over and tow trucks are staged and ready to deploy. The two initial

barrier transfer devices will be replaced in the near future. The meticulous maintenance and

care of the MassDOT HOV operation kru has allowed for 20 years of continuous service.

Rather than spending hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars on a freeway widening

project, the first new transfer machine is set to arrive in Boston at the end of July

2015[ CITATION Tax19 \l 1033 ]. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has agreed to

reinvest in the road zipper system, which provides the necessary protection and congestion

control to keep traffic safe and flowing.

Chapter 4: Project Planning

In order to prepare, we must first determine the site where the HOV project will be built, as

well as the direction of our project and the distance that the road will cover (lane-mile),

which is the number of lanes along with a specific mile, and (Path-mile), which is the

centerline on the highway that will provide HOV care.

The expansion of planning begins with an emphasis on a number of issues, including

optimizing the function of HOV lanes and determining the types of HOV material that can be

used at the corridor stage, as well as studying current HOV material and its reliability.

The HOV lane, also known as a carpool lane, is intended to transport big groups of people in

cars. It is not designed to be used in a highway's fast lane. That being said, you should be

driving in the HOV lane at a pace that is equal to the rest of the vehicles in the lane. This

should be considered when planning HOV lanes. Improve, maintain, and expand the HOV

lane road network to ensure robust connectivity and mobility, as well as reliable, secure, and

cost-effective conditions.

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Chapter 5: Regulations and Rules regarding HOV Lanes

Due to the vast volumes of traffic on modern roads and highways, transportation authorities

introduced high occupancy vehicles (HOV) and high occupancy tolling (HOT) lanes to

facilitate carpooling. Roadside officers who use visual perception are usually in charge of

enforcing the laws of those lanes.

Violation rates as high as 50-80% have been registered, while manual enforcement rates of

no more than 10% are more typical. Near-infrared (NIR) cameras, for example, are newer

devices for monitoring and integrating HOV / HOT networks.

Any vehicle with the appropriate number of passengers (HOV-2 or 3) is allowed to use the

HOV lanes during HOV hours. When the reversible lanes on I-95/395 and I-64/264 are

closed, they are still open to all traffic.

To ride free on the I-66 express lanes inside the Beltway at peak hours, all HOV-2+ vehicles

must have an E-ZPass Flex switched to HOV mode. To ride free on the I-95 and I-395

Express Lanes, all HOV-3+ vehicles must have an E-ZPass Flex set to HOV mode. This is a

sample of HOV rules in Northern Virginia, USA.

Chapter 6: Design and Operations

In the following part of our research, we are going to be talking about the design and

operations of HOV lanes and some of its operational design guidelines. To begin with, HOV

lanes may be designed in either two ways:

 A singular traffic lane embedded along with the main roadway with specific labels to

identify them.

 A distinct and independent roadway with a specified number of lanes.

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In certain places, HOV bypass lanes allow carpool traffic and police to bypass areas of

normal congestion, and an HOV lane can act as a reversible lane, moving in the opposite

direction of the prevailing traffic flow in both the morning and afternoon. There are different

ways in which an HOV lane can be added into a roadway that we are going to discuss:

1. Reconstructing a roadway:

This method adding width to the roadway.

2. Restriping a roadway

This method involves redistributing the existing roadway to add enough space for the

addition of an HOV lane.

3. Combination of reconstructing and restriping a roadway

This method can be implemented in multiple ways based on the preference of the

engineer responsible of the design, but generally a combination of the following

reductions are considered in no specific order: Reducing the width of the inside

shoulder provided all safety and emergency regulations are considered, Reducing the

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 interior and outside lane width, reducing the HOV lane and reduction of the outside

shoulder.

4. Lane Conversion

If lane width changes are made, remove the old lane markings completely.

Longitudinal joints should not be in contact with tire track lines. If they do, you may

want to think about overlaying the road before restriping it.

Generally, public governmental agencies are responsible for constructing and operating HOV

lanes. The main objective of HOV lanes is accommodating more people and therefore

becoming more effective than typical lanes. As compared to nearby, congested general-

purpose lanes, HOV lanes are constructed to be congestion-free and may even be presumed

unoccupied at times. Carpoolers and bus riders may use HOV lanes to avoid traffic in the

normal lanes on the freeway. Carpool lanes, diamond lanes, commuter lanes, and busways

are all terms used to describe HOV lanes. HOV lanes are a necessary addition used for

managing the traffic in the congested freeways. HOV lanes are meant to stimulate the idea of

multiple people to travel together in cars, vans and even busses, a move that is meant to

maximize the efficiency travelers to carpool, vanpool or ride the bus which allows more

people to be transported more efficiently using lesser means, while saving time, freeing up

space and decreasing the harm on the environment. Regional transit services are able to

perform their function in delivering efficient service to transit users thanks to these lanes.

These benefits, alone with a safe, time-saving transportation alternative would be lost if HOV

lanes were completely removed or changed to normal freeway lanes.

Chapter 7: Advantages and Disadvantages of HOV Lanes.

Advantages:

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HOV lanes have numerous benefits. They shift more individuals in less vehicles,

subsequently lessening the interest for new roadways. They conserve time in view of lower

paces of blockage and occurrences, which makes them high speed; as such, travel time gets

predictable and dependable. They give better air all through the district because of diminished

discharges. They additionally decrease the pressure of driving for travelers since they are

riding in vehicles, vans, and transports as opposed to moving through traffic. The paths lead

to diminished utilization of individual vehicles, in this way decreasing mileage and fuel

utilization. They are adaptable and their procedure, plan, and activity can be custom fitted to

address neighborhood issues and conditions. At last, carpool lanes advantage SOV drivers by

removing carpoolers from the broadly useful paths. They energize carpool travel by giving

more limited and more solid travel times for high inhabitance vehicles through top blockage

periods. Diminishes SOV utilization and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by making

ridesharing available and advantageous. Decrease the outflow of models air toxins and GHGs

that are hurtful to the climate and people wellbeing by empowering decreases in SOV use.

Disadvantages:

A significant weakness of HOV lanes is "unfilled path disorder," or saw underutilization of

HOV paths. Since carpool lanes convey more people in each vehicle, they are less blocked

and thusly appear to be underutilized. They essentially advantage the clients of the paths and

don't really oversee generally traffic blockage. They need nonstop authorization and

observing for greatest effectiveness. Besides, the differentials in rush hour gridlock speed,

blockage at HOV passageway and leave focuses and the successive moving in and out of

vehicles from the HOV lanes make wellbeing risks.

The expense of developing HOV lanes is the significant expense to consider in this

examination of cost-viability. Development costs for the three carpool lane offices were

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given by the WSDOT. The costs comprised the development and configuration contracts.

Each agreement important to build the tasks was changed over to 1985 dollars utilizing the

development file distributed in Engineering News Record (9). Real figures were utilized to

address the expense of development for the "add a carpool lane" elective. To gauge the

expenses for development of the "add an overall path" elective, suppositions were required.

For every one of the three offices, it was accepted that the expense of developing an

additional path would be 10% Jess than that of building a carpool lane, since signage would

not be needed and configuration expenses would be less.

Reproduction based methodology with assess street network safety and proficiency is an

often used strategy. To apply this technique, the field traffic circumstances are gathered, and

the thorough data including the field calculation, control system, stream, and driving conduct

is surveyed. Such essential data is then incorporated in a VISSIM reproduction model. With a

significant model boundary, the vehicle speed dispersions are acquired utilizing a component

following project, specifically, Traffic Intelligence. The model is appropriately adjusted until

the yield vehicle delay conveyance contrasted well and the field noticed vehicle hole

circulation by applying the Chi-square test. The model yield vehicle delays are investigated

for network operational effectiveness examination, and the model yield vehicle direction

records are dissected by SSAM to decide the contention inside the examination region

consequently giving the wellbeing level of the site. Figure 4 demonstrates the stream outline

of the procedure utilized in this examination for traffic wellbeing and operational proficiency

assessment.

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Chapter 8: Safety regulations of HOV Lanes

Driving ion a freeway is definitely confusing folks no question about it , specially when you

see people passing you in HOV lanes with no one else in the passenger seat going way too

fast so it can makes you wonder "what the rules actually are ?".

HOV lanes aren’t forced Monday through Friday from 6 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 7 pm. In

order to use the HOV lanes during these days and times, you must have at least two people in

your vehicle so is there a minimum age for that second passenger the answer is no [ CITATION

Dah01 \l 1033 ]. A real baby would count. Also, a person may drive a motorcycle in the HOV

lanes at any time regardless of the number of passengers without penalty. A tow truck can be

in the lane regardless of occupancy level as well. If you have a resisted alternate fueled

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vehicle or energy efficient vehicle with a valid plate you're allowed to be in the lane. Pet or

service animal does not count as an occupant. You cannot use the lane to avoid an accident or

pass another car. The best advice DPS troopers give 'stay out of the HOV lanes when you're

not supposed to be in one'.

High-occupancy vehicle lanes are one of the techniques employed (HOVL). This general

concept includes things like transitways, busways, and carpool lanes. In essence, an HOVL is

a facility reserved for a particular type of vehicle, providing them with a time advantage over

mixed traffic. Since the early 1970s, Caltrans has been working on improving HOV facilities[

CITATION SSc06 \l 1033 ].

Rather than comparing the safety performance of various types of HOV facilities, studies on

the safety performance of HOV facilities have concentrated on comparing collision patterns

before and after they were implemented, and identifying factors that influence collision

incidence.

If the lane design does not adequately separate HOVs from other vehicles (especially in

intermediate entry / egress zones and at the HOV lane terminus) and does not provide

sufficient breakdown areas, the facility would be at a higher risk of collisions, compromising

operating speed and reliability. The public's view can be influenced as well[ CITATION

New88 \l 1033 ].

However, it is still unclear the form of operation would have the highest degree of protection

from a safety standpoint. Caltrans has also collected a vast amount of data showing that the

greater the number of lanes (and hence the lower the densities), the lower the accident rate is

for a given ADT.

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Chapter 9: Conclusion

To sum up, we all agree that HOV classifications improve public transit accessibility and

include the implementation of a priority system for all types of effective ride-sharing

transportation. It's important to understand that the objectives of using high occupancy

approaches to test cars are universal. Bus lanes improve the accessibility, functionality, and

aesthetics of public transportation. In non-rural areas all over the world, these lanes are

commonly used. The vast majority of diamond lanes start out as bus lanes or have bus

priority as their primary goal. Vehicles with two or more people, emergency vehicles,

motorcycles and buses can use HOV lanes. HOV lanes allow drivers to drive more quickly

while freeing up normal lanes. HOV-2 lanes require a minimum of two people per passenger

vehicle during HOV-restricted periods, while HOV-3 lanes require a minimum of three.

There are exceptions for such vehicles. Constructing an HOV lane has the primary effect of

reducing delay by increasing capacity. For both HOVs and general-purpose freeway traffic,

direct access ramps increase accessibility, relieve congestion, save time, and enhance travel

time efficiency. High occupancy vehicles may have trouble merging left across general-

purpose lanes to enter the HOV lane during congested hours, creating a safety problem for all

freeway users. The more tlus effect dominates, the closer the mmal propomon of HOVs is to

the HOV lane propomon of freeway power. There would be little incentive for travelers to

move from a single occupant vehicle to an HOV unless there are significant delays on the

general purpose lane after the HOV lanes are built.

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