Travelers have many unique informational requirements to be able to navigate priced managed lanes. These demands often relate to specific managed lane features (e.g., access points, toll price) in addition to information about major traffic incidents and lane closures. Accommodating these needs with traditional roadway signage is a particular challenge given concerns about overloading and distracting drivers. This paper summarizes an investigation into traveler information systems for managed lanes, by considering a national review of current agency practices, a traveler survey, and an assessment for integrating advancing technologies. The national review found that many agencies vary considerably in pricing structure, number, and placement of priced destination points, and online availability of real-time toll information. A travel survey of 866 Texas-based respondents indicated that drivers prioritize information about traffic incidents and lane closures over toll price data (94% and 88% versus 41%, respectively). A higher share of respondents wanted to see travel time and incident alerts on in-vehicle devices, compared with a more statistically significant desire for destination and toll rate information on roadway signs. Most respondents use smartphone applications and mapping websites for pre-trip planning purposes (79% and 65%, respectively) compared with TV and radio reports (13%). Comparatively, prior research published 5 years earlier found that radio was a highly influential media in influencing behavior. This paper suggests a pathway for agencies to adopt a flexible approach for sharing essential data with third-party entities, based on the general transit-feed specification used for transit.
An Agent-Based Approach to Improving Commuter Traffic by Means of Advanced Traveler Information Systems
