Comparing Performances of Turbo-roundabouts and Double-lane Roundabouts

Starting from assumptions regarding the arrival process of circulating streams and according to models based on the gap-acceptance theory, the paper is aimed at comparing operational performances between basic turbo-roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts. The paper proposes applications of the Hagring model for entry capacity estimations at double-lane roundabouts and turbo-roundabouts, these latter, in particular, featured by movements with only one or two conflicting traffic streams. This model allows to use, in fact, a bunched exponential distribution to quantify the distribution of major vehicle headways; it also considers specific values different by each lane for behavioural paramete…

Turbo-roundabouts vs Roundabouts Performance Level

AbstractIn this paper the performance level of basic turbo-roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts are compared. Cowan's M3 headway distribution was chosen to take into account bunched vehicles moving along each circulating lane; the Hagring model was adopted to evaluate entry capacity both at turbo-roundabout and at double-lane roundabout.The comparative analysis was performed evaluating operational performances in terms of delay suffered by users entering the intersection.Results of the analyses show that efficiency of basic turbo-roundabouts highly depend on traffic situations and can be significant when major road captures most of the traffic demand.

LIVELLI PRESTAZIONALI DI ROTATORIE TRADIZIONALI ED INNOVATIVE A CONFRONTO. L’IMPATTO DEI VEICOLI PESANTI

Flower Roundabouts And Double-Lane Roundabouts: A Comparative Performance Analysis

AbstractIn the paper, a choice criterion between flower roundabouts and double-lane roundabouts is proposed, focusing on operational benefits that can derive from one scheme over the other, and outlining a general framework for benefit-cost analysis. In order to assess operational benefits of innovative roundabouts over modern roundabouts, a comparative analysis was made. Capacity was estimated using gap-acceptance models. In detail, assuming the dichotomic shifted negative exponential distribution to model headways in circulating streams, the Hagring formula was adjusted to obtain entry capacity estimations at roundabout approaches where entering vehicles face one or two conflicting flows.…

Recent Evolutions of Roundabouts: Methodological Issues and Practical Concerns.

The aim of the research is to provide a choice criterion between innovative roundabouts (turbo-roundabouts and flower-roundabouts) and double-lane roundabouts by evaluating convenience in terms of performances, when traffic demand is known. For this purpose, comparisons of operational performances at innovative roundabouts with regard to those at traditional roundabouts were developed. We started from consistent assumptions regarding the arrival process of major streams and used capacity models founded on gap-acceptance theory. Having in mind a bunched exponential headways distribution, we proposed adaptations of the Hagring model for estimating entry capacity at intersections under examina…

Estimating the safety performance function for urban unsignalized four-legged one-way intersections in Palermo, Italy

Abstract Starting from consideration that urban intersections are sites with promise for safety and operational improvements, the paper describes the steps taken to develop a crash predictive model for estimating the safety performance of urban unsignalized intersections located in Palermo, Italy. The focus is on unsignalized four-legged one-way intersections widespread in Italian downtowns. The sample considered in the study consist of 92 intersections in Palermo, Italy. For the study were collected crashes occurred in the sites during the years 2006-2012, geometric design and functional characteristics and traffic flow. Results showed that data were overdispersed and NB1 distributed. In o…

Passenger Car Equivalent for Heavy Vehicles Crossing Turbo-roundabouts

Abstract Turbo-roundabouts represent an innovative scheme of modern roundabouts which provides a spiraling traffic flow and requires drivers to choose their direction before entering the intersection, since raised lane separators mark the lanes on the ring. The configuration of the turbo-roundabout makes that patterns of conflict at entries with one and two conflicting traffic streams can coexist. This paper presents research efforts aimed at measuring quantitatively the effect of heavy vehicles on operational conditions of a turbo-roundabout. The study starts from the initial belief that the greatest constraints to the vehicular trajectories imposed by the turbo-roundabout necessarily impl…

Microsimulation-based passenger car equivalents for heavy vehicles driving turbo-roundabouts

Due to its geometric design, turbo-roundabouts impose greatest constraints to the vehicular trajectories; by consequence, one can expect a more unfavourable impact of heavy vehicles on the traffic conditions than on other types of roundabouts. The present paper addresses the question of how to estimate Passenger Car Equivalents (PCEs) for heavy vehicles driving turbo-roundabouts. The microsimulation approach used revealed as a useful tool for evaluating the variation of quality of traffic in presence of mixed fleets (different percentages of heavy vehicles). Based on the output of multiple runs of several scenarios simulation, capacity functions for each entry lane of the turbo-roundabout w…