Congestion Management Systems: Review of Current Practices.

PDFTech ReportCongestion management systemsParkwaysScenic easementsNational parksMetropolitan planning organizationsLevel of serviceRecreational roadsTraffic congestionUnited States. National Park ServiceJackson, DavidGaray-Vega, LisandraJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)AGR-PUBLIC AND TRIBAL LANDS-PUBLIC AND TRIBAL LANDSVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterNational parks roads and parkways integrate highway engineering and landscape architecture in their designs to provide access to recreational areas, and to provide scenic recreational travel opportunities. Typically the engineering challenge is to build roadways through remote and rocky terrain while preserving the natural and cultural values of an area. Due to infrastructure constraints and to an increase in recreational and non-recreational visitation, many transportation facilities in the National Park Service (NPS) reach and in some cases exceed capacity, particularly during peak visitation season. In addition, parks in high-populated urban areas are impacted by the general growth in traffic in the surrounding transportation network, in which travelers use park roads as commuter routes. Inadequate access can diminish visitor experiences, present a threat to natural and cultural resources, and have negative impacts to the transportation systems surrounding the parks. The NPS is facing a transportation management and operational challenge that requires a cooperative effort between the NPS and local public and private transportation providers, local communities, and users among others. Recent Federal regulation requires the NPS to develop a comprehensive plan for Congestion Management Systems