FRELANE: AN ANALYSIS MODEL FOR MAJOR FREEWAY WEAVING SECTIONS AND SELECTED FREEWAY SEGMENTS: USER'S GUIDE. FINAL REPORT

Analysis of weaving and non-weaving segments along a freeway is a necessary step in the design and/or reconstruction of highway facilities to evaluate Level-of-Service. Using data collected on eight types of isolated segments (straight pipe, on-ramp, off-ramp, on-ramp followed by an off-ramp w/o an auxiliary lane, consecutive on-ramps, ramp weaves, four types of major weaves, and a ramp weave followed by an off-ramp) analysis models have been constructed for evaluating primarily four-lane freeway sections. The analysis model implemented includes both the use of empirical information and the extension of the analysis limits using results from a microscopic simulation model. Analysis methods include point flow by movement and total point flow. Point flow by movement estimates the flow of each movement and sums them to determine the total volume at a point. Total point flow estimates the volume directly. Both methods are available for ramp weave analysis. The point flow by movement method is the implementation of Caltrans Traffic Bulletin No. 4 Level D with a modification to the estimate of the freeway to freeway percentage in the rightmost through lane. Caltrans Traffic Bulletin No. 4 estimates of the same value remain available to the user. The FREWEV model has been included in its entirety in FRELANE.