Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-2525-3181
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
5-31-2024
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Transportation - (Ph.D.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
I-Jy Steven Chien
Second Advisor
Janice Rhoda Daniel
Third Advisor
Joyoung Lee
Fourth Advisor
Branislav Dimitrijevic
Fifth Advisor
Athanassios K. Bladikas
Abstract
Roadway maintenance projects greatly influence the roadway capacity, resulting in potential traffic disturbances captured by delays. Additionally, costs associated with these projects tend to be exorbitantly extensive. Most agencies and planners try to find a solution that minimizes roadway maintenance costs, traffic delays, crash risks, and environmental impact.
Work zones on two-way two-lane roadway typically avoids high-demand periods. Lane-closure scenario is commonly used and converts the open lane into a phantom intersection, alternating two-direction movements on one lane with the help of a flagger or a temporary signal. Alternatively, using shoulders as temporarily managed lanes allows for simultaneous two-way movements with minimal interruptions. This scenario can potentially enhance the efficiency of the work zone by allowing for longer work zone segments and fewer setups, while increasing the project cost due to shoulder preparation cost, which is sensitive to the condition of the existing shoulders and the amount of preparation work needed. This study addresses the feasibility of utilizing managed lanes scenarios for two-way two-lane highways, while previous work focused on assessing and optimizing one-lane scenarios.
The objective of this study is to develop a cost optimization algorithm and resilience assessment model for work zone scenarios on two-way two-lane highways. The cost optimization process assesses the trade-offs between agency, user, accident, and emission costs. This study enhances several assumptions and limitations of previously developed models by accounting for hourly demand variations, heavy vehicle presence, and work zone buffer areas. Additionally, this study utilizes the latest models for crash risk predictions as illustrated in the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) and emission rate simulator developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The results of the optimization models serve as framework for comparison of potential scheduling schemes by exploring the effects of traffic demand variations, work zone lengths, and project starting times, while taking into consideration scheduling restraints, accident risks, and emission standards.
Recommended Citation
Edrees, Ahmed Z., "Sustainable and cost-effective work zone scheduling on two-lane highways with managed lanes" (2024). Dissertations. 1754.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/dissertations/1754
Included in
Civil Engineering Commons, Construction Engineering Commons, Construction Engineering and Management Commons, Transportation Engineering Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons
