Transportation leadership you can trust.

Lamar Avenue Corridor StudyUsing Field Data for Short Corridor Planning

presented topresented to

2010 ITTS Conference2010 ITTS Conference

presented bypresented by

Dike AhanotuDike AhanotuCambridge Systematics, Inc.Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

withwith

Marty LipinskiMarty LipinskiUniversity of MemphisUniversity of Memphis

January 27, 2010January 27, 2010

1

Early Thoughts on Short Corridor Planning

Step away from the model and go see the corridor

Field data should be used to

• Paint picture of the corridor

• Improve the model

• Identify solutions

• Evaluate alternatives

2

Background on Lamar Avenue Corridor

7.7 mile corridor connecting I-22 to I-240 in SE Memphis

3

Background on Lamar Avenue Corridor

Freight-intensive corridor with recently expanded BNSF yard

4

Data Assembled and Collected by U. of Memphis

Traffic Counts

Level of Service

Travel Time

Truck-Following Data

5

Classification Count Data

Classification counts at two locations on Lamar Avenue

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

0:00

1:00

2:00

3:00

4:00

5:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:0

014:0

015:0

016:0

017:0

018:0

019:0

020:0

021:0

022:0

023:0

0

Auto Truck

Num ber of Vehicles

6

Classification Count Data

Lots of total volume counts

7

Turning Counts

Identify most heavily used intersections

N

East Holmes Road

East Shelby Drive

Winchester Road

Knight Arnold RoadDemocrat Road

American Way

Getwell Road

South Perkins Road

East Raines Road

Tuggle Road

1,123

798

2,310

0

58 1,681

175

271 387

151

2,539

Lamar

Avenue

240

78

to downtown Memphis

to Mississippi

East Holmes Road

East Shelby Drive

Winchester Road

Knight Arnold RoadDemocrat Road

American Way

Getwell Road

South Perkins Road

East Raines Road

Tuggle Road

231

783

327

832

763 174

937

781 502

140

0

Lamar

Avenue

240

to downtown Memphis

78

to Mississippi

8

Intersection Level of Service

IntersectionA.M. Peak Hour

7:30-8:30

Lunch PeakHour

11:30-12:30Midday Peak

Hour 2:30-3:30P.M. Peak Hour

4:30-5:30 Average

Lamar at AmericanWay

C C D F D

Lamar at Pearson B D B B C

Lamar at Democrat C E B B C

Lamar at KnightArnold

B C B C C

Lamar at Winchester F F F F F

Lamar at Concorde E B A B C

Lamar at Shelby F F F F F

Lamar at Tuggle E F A B D

Lamar at Holmes F E E F F

Average D D C D D

Source: University of Memphis Analysis, June 2009.

9

Segment Travel Time – Southbound P.M. Peak

Roadway Segment Average TravelTime (minutes)

AverageSpeed (mph)

Prescott Road to American Way 1.1 34.3

American Way to Democrat Road 1.4 28.0

Democrat Road to Knight Arnold Road 0.7 31.5

Knight Arnold Road to Getwell Road 1.1 37.5

Getwell Road to Winchester Road 1.8 17.7

Winchester Road to Raines Road 1.4 47.1

Raines Road to Shelby Drive 6.8 14.8

Shelby Drive to Holmes Road 3.0 23.5

Holmes Road to Mississippi State Line 1.8 34.9

Total Route 19.0 23.8

Congestion is concentrated at a few intersections

10

Truck-Following Data – BNSF Yard

11

Truck-Following Data – State Line

12

Truck-Following Data – I-240

13

What is the picture of the corridor?

Lamar Avenue is a freight-intensive corridor, but autosare still important

• Commute traffic is especially important

Congestion is concentrated at the southern end of thecorridor

• Also concentrated at specific segments

Even balance of local and through truck traffic in thecorridor

• On Lamar Avenue

• At BNSF yard

14

How the Model Is Being Improved

Identified that model routed too many trucks to ShelbyDrive

• Not enough trucks on Lamar Avenue

• Will distort alternatives analysis, unless adjusted

Impedance being added to Shelby Drive to push trucksback to Lamar Avenue

15

Implications for Identifying Solutions

Corridor solutions must balance several items

• Trucks and autos

• Through truck trips and local trucks trips

16

Implications for Evaluating Alternatives

Speed data from travel time runs likely more accuratethan speeds in model

Turning count, LOS data used to focus intersectionimprovements

Routing information used to interpret impact ofalternatives on specific truck trip travel patterns

17

Lessons Learned for Short Corridor Planning

Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the specifictravel demand model

Use field data to provide additional perspective on thecorridor

• Also use field data to improve model