HOV IMPROVEMENTS ON SIGNALIZED ARTERIALS IN THE SEATTLE AREA. FINAL REPORT. VOLUME II: STATE OF THE ART REVIEW

The primary objectives for this study were to investigate state-of-the-art techniques for providing HOV incentives on arterial routes. The primary goal of making HOV improvements has been to increase the efficiency of transportation systems. Secondary objectives have been to reduce energy consumption, improve air quality, increase modal shift, save travel time, and reduce congestion. Reviews of existing facilities have synthesized operational results into useful generalizations. HOV facility issues include safety, enforcement, planning/design guidelines, classification schemes, and performance measures. Arterial HOV improvements have had mixed success, though the lack of good before-and-after studies is significant. HOV facilities have been studied with a variety of computer models. In systems analysis, HOV lanes may be better justified as people movers when they are compared with other fixed-transit alternatives than when they are compared with automobile traffic in adjacent, nonrestricted lanes. During the coming decade the HOV system will continue to expand. This project has an opportunity to contribute significantly to the understanding of the techniques and potentials for arterial HOV improvements. The first step, a review of the existing literature, establishes a basis for the research to follow.