Toll Network Capacity Calculator: Operations Management and Assessment Tool for Toll Network Operators

Abstract

A performance assessment tool was developed to assist managers and operators of highway networks containing toll collection facilities. The toll network capacity calculator (TNCC) quantifies a toll facility’s ability to process traffic. The calculator can also help engineers who are designing toll facilities to serve highway systems adequately. TNCC determines the maximum amount of traffic that a collection facility can handle. In addition, TNCC may be used for disruption management during lane closings, incidents, or maintenance checks. Furthermore, TNCC may be employed as a planning tool and a performance assessment tool by predicting the impact of surging traffic volumes during special events. The performance of a toll facility was determined from plaza characteristics such as lane number, lane type, and processing rates. The results of the calculations met constraints set by the characteristics of the arriving traffic. For example, variables such as the percentage of arrivals that were electronic toll collection (ETC) patrons and the percentage of arrivals that were semitrailer trucks requiring non-ETC services influenced the plazas’ performance outcome. Overflow of ETC users from the dedicated ETC lanes into the mixed lanes was also a factor. Performance was independent of hourly arrival volumes. Videotapes and transaction data at plazas provided necessary input to TNCC in the evaluation of 32 plazas on the toll network of highways in Orange County, Florida.