Impacts of a Toll Information Sign and Toll Lane Configuration on Queue Length and Collision Risk at a Toll Plaza with a High Percentage of Heavy Vehicles

Abstract

This study assessed the impacts of a toll information sign with different toll lane configurations on queue length and collision risk at a toll plaza with an estimated high percentage of heavy vehicles (HVs). The toll information sign displays information about different toll payment methods for cars and HVs upstream of the toll booth. The impacts were assessed for the toll plaza of the Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction at the Windsor–Detroit international border crossing using a traffic simulation model. Results show that the toll information sign upstream of the toll plaza and converting the toll lanes with multiple toll payment methods to electronic toll collection (ETC)-only lanes reduced queue length and collision risk. However, increasing the number of HV-only lanes for a higher percentage of HVs increased lane-change collision risk. Thus, it is recommended that toll lane configurations be changed based on the percentage of HVs to reduce collision risk at a toll plaza.

Keywords

• toll information
• toll lane configuration
• road sign
• surrogate safety measure
• heavy vehicle
• lane change