Dispersion of traffic platoons

The general objective of this research was to examine the space/time distribution of traffic platoons over a long stretch of roadway with conditions predominant for the southern Arizona urban area. Two sites were chosen for data collection. Both traffic links were one mile long between two successive traffic signals and both were typical of the local low-friction traffic flow conditions. All data were recorded by observers using 20-channel Esterline-Angus recorders. The specifics of the data collection method permitted studying only variables such as the lane of travel, traffic composition, platoon size, traffic volume and the influence of an uphill gradient on platoon behavior. The investigated platoons remained clearly bunched as they progressed downstream along the researched traffic links. The research indicates that it would take much more than a mile (available distance) for the vehicles in the platoon to reach free-flow conditions