Quantifying impact of port truck traffic on highway operations using GPS-based speed data.

PDFTech ReportCAIT-UTC-023DTRT12-G-UTC16PortsTruck trafficHighway operationsEvaluationSimulationTraffic delayTraffic queuingSpeed dataGlobal Positioning SystemNew YorkNew JerseyRutgers University. Center for Advanced Infrastructure & TransportationSpasovic, Lazar N.He, YangBesenski, DejanNew Jersey Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil & Environmental EngineeringRutgers UniversityNew Jersey. Dept. of TransportationUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionThe introduction of mega-ships (i.e. post-Panamax vessels) presented an opportunity for ports to be even morecompetitive and cost-e\ufb00ective. For example, the construction and investment commitment of over $ 3.45 billionbetween 2013 and 2018 into Port Newark/Elizabeth are being made with a goal of maintaining and improvingnavigation transportation infrastructure and developing new terminal capacity. In late 2013, The Port Authorityof New York-New Jersey (PONYNJ) established a task force to identify challenges to port e\ufb03ciency and servicereliability, and recommend potential solutions. For this reason it is necessary to understand and quantify thee\ufb00ect of the increasing introduction of the mega-ships and related changes in port operations on highway system.Better understanding of these e\ufb00ects will help planners identify the solutions and evaluate their e\ufb00ectiveness inpreventing serious disruptions. The developed simulation model is used to analyze \u201cwhat-if\u201d scenarios that depictthe change in truck demand on terminal gate operation. Three developed scenario illustrated the impact of changein truck demand on Port access roadway network. The analysis compared the truck queues and delays at the gateas results of change in truck demand. Two policies, commonly used to control the truck arrival patterns at thegate, the extended gate hours and the gate appointment system, were examined to address the gate operation.Their impact on truck delays and queues at the gate is observed and noted. In addition, analysis investigatesthe critical truck demand that will cause a queue spillover on a surrounding highway network. The sensitivityanalysis identi\ufb01ed network de\ufb01ciencies and truck demand at which queue will reach highway access point