Best Practice Operation of Reversible Express Lanes for the Kennedy Expressway

Mohammadian, Abolfazl; Bahador Parsa, Amir; Taghipour, Homa; Davatgari, Amir; Mohammadi, Motahare

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110394 Copy

Description

Title

Best Practice Operation of Reversible Express Lanes for the Kennedy Expressway

Author(s)

• Mohammadian, Abolfazl
• Bahador Parsa, Amir
• Taghipour, Homa
• Davatgari, Amir
• Mohammadi, Motahare

Issue Date

2021-09

Keyword(s)

• Reversible Lanes
• Data-driven Techniques
• Corridor Operation Management
• Machine Learning

Abstract

Reversible lanes in Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway are an available infrastructure that can significantly improve traffic performance; however, a special focus on congestion management is required to improve their operation. This research project aims to evaluate and improve the operation of reversible lanes in the Kennedy Expressway. The Kennedy Expressway is a nearly 18-mile-long freeway in Chicago, Illinois, that connects in the southeast to northwest direction between the West Loop and O’Hare International Airport. There are two approximately 8-mile reversible lanes in the Kennedy Expressway’s median, where I-94 merges into I-90, and there are three entrance gates in each direction of this corridor. The purpose of the reversible lanes is to help the congested direction of the Kennedy Expressway increase its traffic flow and decrease the delay in the whole corridor. Currently, experts in a control location switch the direction of the reversible lanes two to three times per day by observing real-time traffic conditions captured by a traffic surveillance camera. In general, inbound gates are opened and outbound gates are closed around midnight because morning traffic is usually heavier toward the central city neighborhoods. In contrast, evening peak-hour traffic is usually heavier toward the outbound direction, so the direction of the reversible lanes is switched from inbound to outbound around noon. This study evaluates the Kennedy Expressway’s current reversing operation. Different indices are generated for the corridor to measure the reversible lanes’ performance, and a data-driven approach is selected to find the best time to start the operation. Subsequently, real-time and offline instruction for the operation of the reversible lanes is provided through employing deep learning and statistical techniques. In addition, an offline timetable is also provided through an optimization technique. Eventually, integration of the data-driven and optimization techniques results in the best practice operation of the reversible lanes.

Publisher

Illinois Center for Transportation/Illinois Department of Transportation

Series/Report Name or Number

FHWA-ICT-21-028

ISSN

0197-9191

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110394

DOI

https://doi.org/10.36501/0197-9191/21-033

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

IDOT-ICT-195

Copyright and License Information

No restrictions. This document is available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.

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