An Investigation of the Performance of Roundabouts with Metering Signals

A major project was undertaken for VicRoads, the state transport authority in Victoria, to investigate the performance of roundabouts with metering signals in Melbourne, Australia. The research objectives included further development of analytical techniques to assess the performance of roundabouts with metering signals, and calibration and validation of these techniques for incorporation into the SIDRA INTERSECTION software. Twenty roundabouts with metering signals were considered as candidates for the project. Following site visits, five multi-lane roundabout sites were chosen for comprehensive surveys of traffic and driver behaviour at roundabouts with metering signals. The survey data included video recordings of driver gap acceptance behaviour, intersection turning movement volume counts, automated counting of circulating traffic, GPS-equipped floating car surveys, and metering signal timings. The peak 15-min intersection volumes at these sites were in the range 3268 to 5984 veh/h. Using the survey data, the entering and circulating traffic characteristics were investigated at the controlling and metered roundabout approaches. These included queue lengths, delays and queue spacing on approach roads, critical gap and follow-up headways of entering drivers, bunching and headway distribution of circulating traffic as well as circulating vehicle speeds. This paper presents various aspects of data collection, analysis, and findings of the project.

[1]  Rahmi Akçelik,et al.  A review of gap-acceptance capacity models , 2007 .

[2]  R Akcelik,et al.  ANALYSIS OF ROUNDABOUT PERFORMANCE BY MODELING APPROACH-FLOW INTERACTIONS , 1997 .

[3]  Rahmi Akçelik.  Operating Cost, Fuel Consumption and Pollutant Emission Savings at a Roundabout With Metering Signals , 2006 .

[4]  R Akcelik,et al.  Differences between the Austroads roundabout guide and aaSIDRA roundabout analysis methods , 2004 .

[5]  J C Krogscheepers,et al.  UNBALANCED TRAFFIC VOLUMES AT ROUNDABOUTS , 2000 .

[6]  R Akcelik.  ROUNDABOUTS WITH UNBALANCED FLOW PATTERNS , 2004 .

[7]  K W Huddart.  SIGNALLING OF HYDE PARK CORNER, ELEPHANT AND CASTLE AND OTHER ROUNDABOUTS , 1983 .

[8]  R Akcelik.  Roundabout Model Calibration Issues and a Case Study , 2005 .

[9]  E. A. A. Shawaly,et al.  Effects of entry signals on the capacity of roundabout entries - a case-study of Moore Street roundabout in Sheffield , 1991 .

[10]  R Akcelik,et al.  FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR TRAFFIC FLOWS AT SIGNALISED INTERSECTIONS , 1999 .

[11]  R Akcelik,et al.  THREE-LANING A TWO-LANE ROUNDABOUT - THE OUTCOMES! , 1997 .

[12]  M S Hallworth.  SIGNALLING ROUNDABOUTS. 1. CIRCULAR ARGUMENTS , 1992 .

[13]  Werner Brilon,et al.  USEFUL ESTIMATION PROCEDURES FOR CRITIAL GAPS. , 1997 .

[14]  Rod Troutbeck.  EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF A ROUNDABOUT , 1989 .

[15]  Bill Oxburgh.  PTRC'S Summer Annual Meeting , 1978 .

[16]  Rod Troutbeck,et al.  REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES USED TO EVALUATE UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS , 1997 .

[17]  R Akcelik,et al.  GUIDE TO TRAFFIC ENGINEERING PRACTICE: PART 7: TRAFFIC SIGNALS. 3RD ED. , 2003 .

[18]  R Akcelik.  Capacity and Performance Analysis of Roundabout Metering Signals , 2005 .

[19]  M R Crabtree,et al.  THE USE OF TRANSYT AT SIGNALISED ROUNDABOUTS , 1988 .

[20]  Emmanuel M Natalizio,et al.  Roundabouts with Metering Signals , 2005 .

[21]  Gary Long.  Intervehicle Spacings and Queue Characteristics , 2002 .

[22]  Rahmi Akcelik.  Speed-Flow and Bunching Models for Uninterrupted Flows , 2006 .

[23]  Nagui M. Rouphail,et al.  Comparison of Capacity Models for Two-Lane Roundabouts , 2003 .

[24]  Rahmi Akçelik.  A ROUNDABOUT CASE STUDY COMPARING CAPACITY ESTIMATES FROM ALTERNATIVE ANALYTICAL MODELS , 2003 .