METHOD FOR SELECTING AMONG ALTERNATIVE INCIDENT DETECTION STRATEGIES. INTERIM REPORT

A variety of techniques, ranging from simple motorist call systems to sophisticated surveillance systems, are used to detect incidents on freeways. Each technique has its own set of advantages and limitations. One of the purposes of this report is to assess the various techniques and strategies available for detecting incidents. The report provides information on the cost and effectiveness of individual incident detection strategies. Whenever possible, quantitative cost and effectiveness data from existing systems are presented. In addition, a method for selecting among alternative strategies for detecting incidents is provided. The method uses incremental benefit-to-cost analysis for selecting between different incident detection strategies. The method can be used to select the most cost-effective incident detection strategy when expanding an existing incident management system. The method can also be adopted to provide an assessment of how much coverage to provide using a single incident detection strategy.