• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.61-68
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• 2017

PURPOSES : A complete signal system is not always the best solution for improving traffic operation efficiency at intersections. An alternative solution is to use a Protected Permitted Left Turn (PPLT) operation method. However, the PPLT method needs to be developed after a detailed study of driving tendencies, most notably the gap acceptance behavior, for successful implementation. In this study, the gap acceptance behavior was investigated under various variables and weather conditions, especially under rain, and the results were compared to the case of normal weather. The results of this study will be helpful in introducing the PPLT method, and are important considering the tendency of attempting unprotected left turns that is extremely common in Korean drivers. METHODS : Data was obtained by analyzing traffic footage at four intersections on a day when the precipitation was greater than 5 mm/h. The collected data was classified into seven variables for statistical analysis. Finally, we used logistic regression analysis to develop a probability distribution model. RESULTS : Gap, traffic volume, and the number of conflicting lanes were factors affecting the gap acceptance behavior of unprotected left turns under rainy conditions. CONCLUSIONS : The probability of attempting unprotected left turns is higher for larger gaps. On the other hand, the probability of attempting unprotected left turns decreases with an increase in the traffic volume. Finally, an increase in the number of conflict lanes leads to a decrease in the probability of attempting unprotected left turns.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.31-39
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• 2002

The primary objective of this study is to develop a reliable method for estimating the left turn capacity at the signalized intersection. This study is performed during periods of congestion. Multi left turn lane(bay lane and exclusive lane) approaches are examined. When more than one left turn lane exists, traffic volumes are not distributed equally over each lane. The fundamental approach taken in this study is measuring headways on left turn lanes with altering the bay length from 20m to 120m. Left turn lane is divided into 3 sub-sections in this study. These are SLP section(start-up lost time Period), SFP section(saturation flow period), LSP section(lane selection period). Saturation flow rates are evaluated for each sub section periods. As a results of analysis, it has been confirmed that the left turn capacity can be estimated by left turn bay length and effective green time for left turn. The left turn bay length adjustment factor is suggested in this study.

• Proceedings of the KOR-KST Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.485-491
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• 2007

• Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.153-164
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• 2018

Calculating the relevant length of left turn storages in urban intersections is very crucial in road designs. A left turn lane consists of deceleration lanes and left turn storages. In this study, we developed methods for calculating relevant lengths of left turn storages that vary at each intersection using UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) spatial images. Problems of conventional design techniques are applying the same number of left turn vehicles (N) using Poisson distribution without considering land use types, using a vehicle length that may not be measurable when applying the length of waiting vehicles (S), and using same storage length coefficient (${\alpha}$), 1.5, for every intersections. In order to solve these problems, we estimated the number of left turn vehicles (N) using an empirical distribution, suggested to use headways of vehicles for (S) to calculate the length of waiting vehicles (S) with a help of using UAV spatial images, and defined ranges of storage length coefficient (${\alpha}$) from 1.0 to 1.5 for flexible design. For more convenient design, it is suitable to classify two cases when possible to know and impossible to know about ratio of large trucks among vehicles when planning an intersection. We developed formula for each case to calculate left turn storage lengths of a minimum and a maximum. By applying developed methods and values, more efficient signalized intersection operation can be accomplished.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.47-52
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• 2022

The C-ITS (Cooperative-intelligent Transport System) is a driver assistance system that prevents car accidents and enhances traffic conditions, via sharing traffic information between vehicles and roadway infrastructures. A CLAS (changing lane assistance system) for unprotected left-turn, is a C-ITS that assists a driver with safely changing lanes. This system addresses a driver's critical gap, that enables the system to express a driver's uncertainty. A driver's critical gap is a time that can be used in a threshold, to change a lane or not. Unfortunately, a driver's critical gap is difficult to use in a CLAS directly. This paper addresses a driver's critical gap, and how it can be applied in a CLAS for an unprotected left-turn.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 1983

Intersection control has dual-purposes; increasing capacity and reducing delay. The primary concern of efficient intersection control under oversaturated condition as in Korea is to increase capacity. Prevailing intersection operation technique permits thru traffic to utilize left turn lane, because the intersection without left turn pocket has left turn signal interval. In this situation, it seems not to be valid to calculate capacity, delay, and signal timings by conventional methods. By critical lane technique, capacity increases as cycle length increases. However, when thru traffic utilize LT lane, the capacity varies according to LT volume, LT interval as well as cycle length, which implies that specific cycle length and LT interval exist to maximize capacity for given LT volume. The study is designed is designed to calculate utilization factors of LT lane for thru traffic and capacities, and identify signal timings to yield maximum capacity. The experimental design involved has 3 variables; 1)LT volumes at each approach(20-300 vph), 2)cycle lengths (60-220 sec), and 3)LT intervals(2.6-42 sec) for one scenario of isolated intersection crossing two 6-lanes streets. For LT volume of 50-150 vph, capacity calculated by using the utilization factor is about 25% higher than that by critical lane method. The range of optimum cycle length to yield maximum capapcity for LT volume less than 120 vph is 140-180 sec, and increases as LT volume increases. The optimum LT interval to yield maximum capacity is longer than the intrval necessary to accommodate LT volume at saturation flow rate.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.125-133
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• 2013

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to propose delay-minimizing operation methodology of a signalized intersection based upon optimization of lane-uses on approaching lanes for an intersection. METHODS : For the optimization model of lane-uses, a set of constraints are set up to ensure feasibility and safety of the lane-uses, traffic flow, and signal settings. Minimization of demand to saturation flow ratio of a dual-ring signal control system is introduced to the objective function for delay minimization and effective signal operation. Using the optimized lane-uses, signal timings are optimized by delay-based model of TRANSYT-7F. RESULTS : It was found that the proposed objective function is great relation with delay time for an intersection. From the experimental results, the method was approved to be effective in reducing delay time. Especially, cases for two left-turn lanes reduced greater delays than those for a left turn lane. It is noticed that the cases for different traffic volume by approach reduced greater delays than those for the same traffic volume by approach. CONCLUSIONS : It was concluded that the objective function is proper for lane-uses optimizing model and the operation method is effective in reducing delay time for signalized intersections.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.135-146
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• 2013

PURPOSES : This study aimed to analyze the impact the operation of pre-signals at 4-leg signalized intersections and present primary environmental factors of roads that need to be considered in the installation of pre-signals. METHODS : Shift of proportions safety effectiveness evaluation method which assesses shifts in proportions of target collision types to determine safety effectiveness was applied to analyze traffic crash by types. Also, Empirical Bayes before/after safety effectiveness evaluation method was adapted to analyze the impact pre-signal installation. Negative binomial regression was conducted to determine SPF(safety performance function). RESULTS : Pre-signals are effective in reducing the number of head on, right angle and sideswipe collisions and both the total number of personal injury crashes and severe crashes. Also, it is deemed that each factor used as an independent variable for the SPF model has strong correlation with the total number of personal injury crashes and severe crashes, and impacts general traffic crashes as a whole. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the following should be considered in pre-signal installation on intersections. 1) U-turns allowed in the front and rear 2) A high number of roads that connect to the intersection 3) Many right-turn traffic flows 4) Crosswalks installed in the front and rear 5) Insufficient left-turn lanes compared to left-turn traffic flows or no left-turn-only lane.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.75-88
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• 2001

Signal optimization model for alternative use of lanes at a signalized intersection with an stop-line added backward was presented in this paper. The simulation results shot-ed that the traffic fed from the stop-line passed the intersection in each specified phasing interval for left and through traffic. The experimental results indicated that the proposed model was much superior to traditional signal optimization methodology in reducing delay, fuel consumption, and disutility index for delay and stops. The effects for reducing delay were greater than those for doing fuel consumption and disutility index due to the added stop-line. The proposed model is expected to alleviate traffic congestion at intersections, both which have no left turn pocket, and which have large left turn volume. The model is recommended to adapted for intersections spaced long among them with no near driveway.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.33-42
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• 2007

The current left-turn split model adopted in COSMOS has an inherent limitation when a loop detector in the left-turn lanes was disconnected for a period of time. In this instance, the current model always allocated minimum green time to the left-turn phase, thus optimal split and efficient signal operation for the intersection was not guaranteed. In this paper, four mathmatical models using detector information of the intersection and four empirical models using historical profiles were developed and investigated for different traffic conditions to improve the operational efficiency of the intersection. From the model evaluation test, the empirical model using a four-week historical profile produced the least error among the eight models investigated. NETSIM simulation test results also showed that the proposed model could give significantly reduced delay time as compared to the current model. From these results, the operational efficency of the signalized intersections under the real-time control can be greatly improved by using the model proposed in case of the left-turn detector failure.