Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Capacity investigation of all-way stop-controlled intersections(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2022) Doruk, Dorukhan; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Ahmed Al-KaisyDepending on traffic conditions, highway functional classification, sight distance, area setting, and other considerations, various traffic controls are used at the location of intersections. One of the essential traffic controls used at intersections is All-Way Stop Control (AWSC) which requires all vehicles to stop before entering the intersection. Proper capacity and headway estimations are essential for AWSC intersections to estimate the capacity. On the other hand, estimating the capacity of these types of intersections was always a challenging and essential task for a transportation engineer. Therefore, this research aims to develop a suitable methodology to estimate the capacity and empirically investigate the AWSC intersections. The literature review of this research identified many existing methodologies for estimating the capacity for unsignalized intersections; however, a few existing studies were for AWSC type of intersection, and others were outdated. Four days of intensive field data collection took place to identify the individual vehicle that entered and exited the intersection--the study site was characterized by single-lane approaches and high levels of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Using strict protocols, collected data were processed at the individual vehicle. Then the collected data was extracted into a series of spreadsheets for analysis purposes. The method used several variables such as level of conflict, pedestrian activity, and type of movement at the intersection. The study resulted that the total intersection capacity varied between 400 and 1400 vehicles per hour. The study suggested that the wide range of capacity observations is primarily associated with the pedestrian crossing activity at the intersection of interest. Regarding movement type, the right-turn movement was not significantly affected intersection capacity. In contrast, the left-turn movement negatively affected the intersection capacity. Pedestrian traffic at the study site profoundly affected the mean saturation headways for saturation headways. The impact of the type of movement was found notable on the mean saturation headways, and the lowest mean was observed in right-turning vehicles.Item The evaluation of modern roundabouts as an alternative to signalized and two-way stop controlled intersections in a urban and rural environment(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2004) Eickman, Travis John; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jodi L. CarsonThe comparison of roundabouts with other intersection forms of traffic control is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. With little overall experience within the United States, the data for roundabout comparison is somewhat varied. This report includes the results of five models created using VISSIM traffic modeling software in the comparison of a two-way stop, signal and roundabout in an urban environment, and a two-way stop and roundabout in a rural environment. A large amount of field data in the form of traffic volumes, vehicle types, gap timing and headway distances were used in the calibration and validation of the various models. Multiple runs of the models were conducted to attain an expansive data pool from which to evaluate the different modes of traffic control. Measures of effectiveness included crash reduction, delay, and queue length. Due that crash data could only be obtained for the before period of the base case studies, a detailed crash reduction analysis could not be conducted. A limited analysis was conducted to review the possible reduction in the possibility of accidents and their severity. Delay values indicated the roundabout provided the best performance, followed by the signal, and lastly the two-way stop. Average queue length data indicated that the roundabouts functioned with no notable queuing experienced. The results of the signal indicated improved performance on that of the two-way stop. The results indicate that roundabouts are a viable alternative to a two-way stop and signal. For a more accurate, long-term evaluation, growth projections should be applied to existing conditions to determine the operational effectiveness of the intersection traffic control type at some point in the future. Depending on the purpose and need of any intersection being evaluated, additional focus can also be concentrated on obtaining additional field information for driver behavior, gap timing, headway distances, delay times and average queue lengths.Item Highway road signs : a comparison of sign location, letter case, and word order with respect to driver response time(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 1973) Bissonnette, Kathleen Kuk