Quantifying the Effects of Manual Traffic Control on Evacuation Corridors

The goal of this research is to quantify the effect of manual traffic control on evacuation corridor operations and to develop a quantitative model able to describe the behavior of police officers directing traffic for special events and emergencies. To achieve this goal, the research seeks to observe police traffic control procedures based on field observations of officers directing traffic during special events. This also required a quantitative analysis to understand and potentially find ways to improve evacuation corridor management techniques during emergencies and planned special events. The results of this research are expected to lead to innovative ways to manage evacuation corridors. If found to be promising, the results are planned to be presented to emergency management officials in Louisiana's Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. It is also anticipated the finding of this research will provide new insight in directing emergency traffic. Potentially leading to new policies and procedures for police. Again if found to show potential, these results will be presented to police agencies at conferences such as the IACP and TCIPC within the State of Louisiana and elsewhere. Over the long term it is expected that this will incrementally advance the state of practice in improving the movement of traffic with evacuation corridors. Historically, improvements in emergency management and traffic operations have occurred through an evolutionary process with incremental changes made over long periods of time. The impact and benefits of this research to the management and operation of evacuation corridors will advance the state-of-knowledge making it possible to improve traffic management practices in the future.

• Record URL:
  http://ntc.umd.edu/node/40

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $126121.00
• Contract Numbers:

  DTRT13-G-UTC30

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Transportation Center @ Maryland

  1173 Glenn L. Martin Hall
  University of Maryland
  College Park, Maryland  United States  20742
• Project Managers:

  Zhang, Lei

• Performing Organizations:

  Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

  Civil & Environmental Engineering Department
  3418A Patrick Taylor Hall
  Baton Rouge, Louisiana  United States  70803
• Principal Investigators:

  Wolshon, Brian

• Start Date: 20131001
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20150801
• Source Data: RiP Project 37169

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Emergency management; Evacuation; Highway operations; Highway traffic control; Police patrol; Transportation corridors
• Geographic Terms: Louisiana
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01575251
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Transportation Center @ Maryland
• Contract Numbers: DTRT13-G-UTC30
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Sep 1 2015 1:43AM