Changes in Travel in the Shirley Highway Corridor, 1983-1986

Report No: 87-R34

Published in 1987

About the report:

On June 5, 1985, a comprehensive, computer-controlled traffic management system (TMS) was implemented on a section of 1-95 and 1-395 in Northern Virginia. The roadway is a major commuter route into the District of Columbia. A before-and-after evaluation of the TMS was initiated by the Virginia Department of Transportation in the spring of 1983 in anticipation of a summer 1983 implementation. Due to a series of events, the TMS was two years late in being implemented, and data were not collected after its implementation until the spring of 1986. Accordingly, this study describes changes in travel characteristics between these two periods; it recognizes that several major events occurred that likely caused the changes. Changes in travel on local streets as well as on the interstate are described. Changes in traffic volumes, speeds, travel times, delays, vehicle miles of travel, vehicle hours of travel, and accidents are reviewed. Finally, information on incident detection and management is presented.

Documents

87-R34

_{Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.}

Authors

E. D. Arnold

Last updated: December 30, 2023