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Tradeoffs among Free-flow Speed, Capacity, Cost, and Environmental Footprint in Highway Design

Author

Listed:
  • Chen Feng Ng

    (Department of Economics, California State University at Long Beach)

  • Kenneth Small

    (Department of Economics, University of California-Irvine)

Abstract

This paper investigates differentiated design standards as a source of capacity additions that are more affordable and have smaller aesthetic and environmental impacts than expressways. We consider several tradeoffs, including narrow versus wide lanes and shoulders on an expressway of a given total width, and high-speed expressway versus lower-speed arterial. We quantify the situations in which off-peak traffic is sufficiently great to make it worthwhile to spend more on construction, or to give up some capacity, in order to provide very high off-peak speeds even if peak speeds are limited by congestion. We also consider the implications of differing accident rates. The results support expanding the range of highway designs that are considered when adding capacity to ameliorate urban road congestion.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Feng Ng & Kenneth Small, 2008. "Tradeoffs among Free-flow Speed, Capacity, Cost, and Environmental Footprint in Highway Design," Working Papers 080904, University of California-Irvine, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:irv:wpaper:080904
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cassidy, Michael J. & Rudjanakanoknad, Jittichai, 2005. "Increasing the capacity of an isolated merge by metering its on-ramp," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 896-913, December.
    2. Steimetz, Seiji S.C., 2008. "Defensive driving and the external costs of accidents and travel delays," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 42(9), pages 703-724, November.
    3. Cassidy, Michael J. & Bertini, Robert L., 1999. "Some traffic features at freeway bottlenecks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 25-42, February.
    4. Ronghui Liu & James Tate, 2004. "Network effects of intelligent speed adaptation systems," Transportation, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 297-325, August.
    5. Peltzman, Sam, 1975. "The Effects of Automobile Safety Regulation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 83(4), pages 677-725, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gilles Duranton & Matthew A. Turner, 2011. "The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from US Cities," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(6), pages 2616-2652, October.
    2. Victor Couture & Gilles Duranton & Matthew A. Turner, 2018. "Speed," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 100(4), pages 725-739, October.
      • Victor Couture & Gilles Duranton & Matthew Turner, 2016. "Speed," Working Papers hal-03459352, HAL.
    3. DeCorla-Souza, Patrick, 2010. "Creating a Financially Feasible, Sustainable, High Performance Metropolitan Transportation System," 51st Annual Transportation Research Forum, Arlington, Virginia, March 11-13, 2010 207241, Transportation Research Forum.
    4. Clifford Winston, 2013. "On the Performance of the U.S. Transportation System: Caution Ahead," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(3), pages 773-824, September.
    5. Small, Kenneth A. & Ng, Chen Feng, 2014. "Optimizing road capacity and type," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 145-157.
    6. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5h955p9lcb808of8er6b8b8ck9 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Lindsey, Robin & de Palma, André, 2014. "Cost recovery from congestion tolls with long-run uncertainty," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 119-132.
    8. Winston, Clifford & Mannering, Fred, 2014. "Implementing technology to improve public highway performance: A leapfrog technology from the private sector is going to be necessary," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 158-165.
    9. Chen, Jin-Yong & Jiang, Rui & Li, Xin-Gang & Hu, Mao-Bin & Jia, Bin & Gao, Zi-You, 2019. "Morning commute problem with queue-length-dependent bottleneck capacity," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 184-215.
    10. Castillo-Manzano, José I. & Castro-Nuño, Mercedes & Pedregal-Tercero, Diego J., 2014. "Temporary speed limit changes: An econometric estimation of the effects of the Spanish Energy Efficiency and Saving Plan," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 44(S1), pages 68-76.
    11. Clifford Winston, 2020. "Comment on "Can America Reduce Highway Construction Costs? Evidence from the States"," NBER Chapters, in: Economic Analysis and Infrastructure Investment, pages 150-164, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/5h955p9lcb808of8er6b8b8ck9 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Lindsey, Robin, 2012. "Road pricing and investment," Economics of Transportation, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 49-63.
    14. DeCorla‐Souza, Patrick, 2010. "Creating a Financially Feasible High‐Performance Metropolitan Transportation System," Journal of the Transportation Research Forum, Transportation Research Forum, vol. 49(3).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Highway design; Capacity; Free-flow speed; Parkway;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L91 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Transportation: General
    • R42 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Government and Private Investment Analysis; Road Maintenance; Transportation Planning

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