I-66 Multimodal Study Final Report - Virginia Department of ...

Multimodal PackagesAdvanced Parking Management System (APMS) – Advanced Parking Management System(APMS) provide real-time information about park-and-ride facility utilization to corridor travelers,to help them plan their trips more efficiently, and improve their travel experience byhelping reduce parking-related congestion and travel time, if applicable. These systems alsoencourage transit use.As recommended in the 2009 WMATA Feasibility Study of Real-Time Parking Information, apilot project of real-time parking information system is recommended for implementation atthe West Falls Church Metrorail station. This system is estimated to cost $955,000 for capitalexpenses and $237,000 for annual maintenance and operating costs.Multimodal Traveler Information – An important aspect of ICM strategies is dissemination ofmultimodal information to users, allowing them to change modes during their trip. This couldbe an effective mechanism to reduce congestion. From the users standpoint it gives the usermodal choices that could particularly be effective in the event of an incident. The benefits ofthis strategy:Potentially increase transit use and therefore improve person throughput;Reduce travel time in the event of an incident; andImprove the efficiency of the network as a whole.Signal Priority for Transit Vehicles – Signal priority for transit vehicles is an effective ICMstrategy. This would involve giving transit priority at freeway entrances and merges, whichwould allow buses to bypass ramp meter signals at freeway entrances. Buses could be giventhe same priority treatment on arterials. Transit vehicle priority and TSP technology wouldimprove transit access to freeway entrances, increase transit efficiency, and encourage the useof transit.Other ImprovementsThrough ICM strategies lane closures, variable speed limit signs, and adaptive ramp meteringon the freeway could be integrated with traffic signal coordination improvements on arterialsto improve local traffic flow. Coordinating these different elements of the corridor couldimprove access to the freeway for first responders, transit users, and drivers. Lane closures,lane use signal signs, and variable speed limit signs will allow vehicles to reduce speeds aheadof congestion, or an incident on the freeway, to balance traffic flow. Adaptive ramp meteringfunctions meter the number of vehicles entering the freeway so that there is balanced trafficflow on the local arterials and the freeway. Traffic signal timing on the arterials and freewayentrances will be synchronized to accommodate traffic demand and reduce congestionthroughout the I-66 corridor.ICM Strategy Effectiveness EstimatesThe benefits of instituting ICM strategies are multifold. Listed below are benefits that the ICMstrategies recommended as part of the I-66 Multimodal Study are expected to produce:I-66 Multimodal Study 3-65