Road Weather Management Program
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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

Title:

The Effect of Variable Message Signs on the Relationship Between Mean Speeds and Speed Deviations

Abstract:

This research studies the effect of DMS on the relationship between hourly cross-sectional mean speeds and speed deviations. This section of I-90 in the vicinity of Snoqualmie pass, Washington is a rural freeway location subject to adverse weather conditions, and experiences over seventy-five reported vehicle crashes annually. DMS were installed to reduce crash potential by effective speed and traffic flow management. Aggregate results on vehicle speeds and vehicle speed deviations at the hourly level show that there is a significant decrease in mean speed when the DMS are on, along with a significant increase in speed deviation.

Source(s):

81st Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting; University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. For an electronic copy of this resource, please direct your request to WeatherFeedback@dot.gov.

Date: 2001

Author:

Ulfarsson, Shankar, Vu

Keywords:


Speed
Adverse weather
Crashes
Safety
Traveler information

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