managing travel for planned special events - FHWA Operations ...

TACTICRollingroad blockEntrancerampclosureExit rampclosureEliminationofweavingareaRampmeteringLatedivergeprohibitionAdditionalexit ramplaneEVENTTIMEIngressEgressIngressEgressIngressEgressIngressEgressIngressEgressIngressIngressTable 3-28Interchange Operations Tactics for Planned Special EventsAPPLICATION• Initiate tactic on freeway mainline upstreamof congested interchange ramp(s).• Initiate tactic on freeway mainline upstreamof a congested ramp junction orweaving area.• Use tactic to meter freeway mainline trafficdemand without creating a secondarybottleneck upstream of the congested area.• Initiate tactic on ramps in close proximityto and upstream of interchange target pointfor event traffic.• Divert affected traffic to another downstreamaccess point.• Initiate tactic as necessary to reduce freewaymainline congestion in the vicinity ofclosely spaced entrance ramps.• Close ramp, as needed, to alleviate congestionon a downstream local flow route.• Initiate only if a downstream exit ramp andlocal street system can handle divertedtraffic.• Initiate tactic at freeway interchanges connectinglocal traffic flow routes that havespecial egress traffic control measures ineffect.• Close cloverleaf interchange entranceramp to facilitate unimpeded diverge toaccess adjacent exit ramp.• Close cloverleaf interchange exit ramp andmainline right-lane to facilitate unimpededmerge with mainline.• Meter freeway entrance ramps upstream ofinterchange target point for event traffic.• Meter freeway entrance ramps downstreamof interchange target point for event traffic• Deploy traffic cones along barrier lineextending upstream of exit ramp gore area.• Cone an additional lane on exit rampsserving traffic destined to an event venue.BENEFIT• Alleviates traffic demand at interchange,thus permitting street orramp bottleneck to dissipate.• Reduces level of congestion at theprimary bottleneck location.• Eliminates congestion caused bytraffic merging with heavy freewaymainline traffic.• Reduces freeway mainline congestionor prevents congestion from occurring.• Reduces congestion on local flowroute.• Prevents traffic from accessing localflow routes in the direction of theevent venue that operate in favor ofegress traffic flow.• Eliminates weaving area congestion.• Extends deceleration lane for trafficusing exit ramp.• Eliminates weaving area congestion.• Extends acceleration lane for trafficusing entrance ramp.• Reduces congestion caused by trafficmerging with heavy freewaymainline traffic.• Reduces congestion caused by trafficmerging with heavy freewaymainline traffic.• Reduces congestion at diverge rampjunction caused by motorists attemptingto make a sudden lanechangeto access an exit ramp.• Improves safety.• Provides additional ramp storagecapacity.• Proves particularly effective if twolaneramp traffic does not have tomerge at downstream end of ramp.3EVENT PROFILE POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES DAY-OF-EVENT ACTIVITIES ADVANCE PLANNINGOVERVIEW3-39