A Model for Capacity Reduction at Roadwork Zone

This paper presents an investigation of capacity reduction in connection with roadwork zones. The paper presents a state-of-the-art description on roadwork effects on capacity. Based on the literature on this topic the most important parameters that should be incorporated in a Swedish capacity manual for the operation and maintenance roadwork are: the proportion of heavy traffic; lane width; number of closed lanes; closed road shoulder; proportion of commuter traffic; and length of roadwork zone. The paper presents a comparison of a composite model of correction factors from Germany, USA and Denmark and the Dutch model for computation of capacity reduction. The comparison show that the two models essentially gives the same results. Based on these results a model was developed. The model developed was validated using empirical data from a full scale test at the motorway network in Gothenburg. The throughput was measured in two cases during the morning and afternoon peak hour. The capacity for the normal site conditions was estimated based on traffic flow and speed data from the same site. The result shows that the empirically estimated capacity reduction is consistent with the reduction calculated with the new model for the different road work designs evaluated. The conclusion is that the model developed seems to be valid for capacity reduction estimations of roadworks on Swedish motorways but that more empirics are needed to ensure general validity