Evaluating Change in Corridor Operations Based on Access Management Strategies Using VISSIM Along US-69 Through Ankeny, Iowa

Access management is a proven method to reduce conflict points along a roadway, provide a safer means for vehicles to access businesses, and increase network efficiency. The effectiveness of particular access management strategies is well documented through various applications and research studies. However, an area that has had limited research is how micro simulation can evaluate and compare corridors with and without access management strategies and provide a visualization tool for engineers, planners, and policy makers using these strategies. This research builds on the idea that the micro simulation program VISSIM can be a powerful tool to help engineers analyze a corridor with access management prior to design or construction. Limited research has been performed to study how VISSIM can be used to isolate specific sites within a corridor, identify access management needs, implement the strategies, and determine what impacts the strategies would have on the overall operations. To demonstrate proof of concept, a case study section of US 69 (South Ankeny Boulevard), which serves as the main north/south route through Ankeny, Iowa, was developed in VISSIM. The case study site within the corridor was selected because multiple access management strategies were feasible and could be evaluated. A calibrated base scenario model of existing conditions was compared to a case study where various access management techniques were implemented. The two scenarios were compared using measures of effectiveness that included travel time, delay, and stopped delay. Results showed the case study model with access management implementation had minimal effects on corridor operations. This research study showed VISSIM to be a powerful tool to evaluate and visualize access management strategies in an urban commercial corridor.