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Using PET-Measured Traffic Conflicts to Analyze Safety Performance of Merging Areas of Freeways

  • Lai Zheng*
  • , Cheng Wen
  • , Yao Huang
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The merging area is an important part of a freeway system, and its safety performance is usually of great concern. This study investigated the safety performance of merging areas by using traffic conflict techniques, and post encroachment time (PET) was employed as the conflict measure. To measure the PET of merging events, a video-based method was proposed. Approach to identify thresholds which distinguish serious conflicts from other events was also developed. Combining the conflict number and conflict rate, the safety performance of merging areas was analyzed. Based on the video data collected from seven merging areas of two freeways in Liaoning province of China, a total of 898 PETs were measured, and the identified threshold for serious conflicts was 1.54 s. The analysis results of conflict number and rate combination method showed that Gaosheng, Huludao, and Suizhong merging areas were the most hazardous among the seven merging areas while Xingcheng, Wulongbei, and Tongyuanpu merging areas were the safest. A further analysis also indicated that both the conflicting volume and the length of acceleration lanes had significant impact on the safety performance of merging areas.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCICTP 2020
Subtitle of host publicationAdvanced Transportation Technologies and Development-Enhancing Connections - Proceedings of the 20th COTA International Conference of Transportation Professionals
EditorsHaizhong Wang, Heng Wei, Lei Zhang, Yisheng An
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Pages3730-3741
Number of pages12
ISBN (Electronic)9780784482933
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Externally publishedYes
Event20th COTA International Conference of Transportation Professionals: Advanced Transportation Technologies and Development-Enhancing Connections, CICTP 2020 - Xi'an, China
Duration: 14 Aug 202016 Aug 2020

Publication series

NameCICTP 2020: Advanced Transportation Technologies and Development-Enhancing Connections - Proceedings of the 20th COTA International Conference of Transportation Professionals

Conference

Conference20th COTA International Conference of Transportation Professionals: Advanced Transportation Technologies and Development-Enhancing Connections, CICTP 2020
Country/TerritoryChina
CityXi'an
Period14/08/2016/08/20

Keywords

  • Freeway
  • Merging area
  • PET
  • Safety performance
  • Traffic conflict

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