Work Zone Variable Speed Limit Systems: Effectiveness and System Design Issues

About the report:

Variable speed limit (VSL) systems have been used in a number of countries, particularly in Europe, as a method to improve flow and increase safety.  VSLs use detectors to collect data on current traffic and/or weather conditions.  Posted speed limits are then dynamically updated to reflect the conditions that motorists are actually experiencing.  Presenting drivers with speed limits that are appropriate for current conditions may reduce speed variance, a concept sometimes called speed harmonization.  If properly designed, VSL systems have been shown to reduce crash occurrence and can also reduce system travel time through increased uniformity in traffic speeds. 

High-volume urban work zones tend to be prone to congestion and safety problems, and VSLs may be one way to ameliorate these issues. VSLs were recently installed at a high-volume, congested urban work zone located on I-495 (the Capital Beltway, hereinafter the Beltway) between the Springfield Interchange in Springfield, Virginia, and the Virginia-Maryland state line on the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.  VSL signs were activated in late July 2008, but initial evaluations of the system showed inconclusive effects.  Changing site conditions made a direct before-and-after evaluation of the system deployed in the field problematic, and some problems with the control algorithm were also noted. 

Given the difficulties in evaluating the system deployed in the field, a calibrated simulation of the site was constructed to assess the effects of the VSL system on traffic operations and safety surrogate measures.  The simulation platform also provided an opportunity to examine a number of system configurations to assess how changes in system design and driver behavior might affect a variety of measures.  The results indicated that the VSL could create substantial improvements in traffic operations provided the demand did not exceed capacity by too large a margin.  The location of the VSL signs played an important role in operational performance. 

The study recommends that the Virginia Department of Transportation continue to pursue this technology but carefully scrutinize algorithm design and VSL sign placement.  Further, a cost/benefit analysis indicated that VSLs may be most appropriate for long-term applications.

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