High-Occupancy Vehicle Monitoring and Evaluation Framework

Abstract

A framework for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the arterial and freeway high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) facilities in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia is described. The framework evaluation objectives are categorized into three groups by their relationship to the goals of an HOV network: primary, supporting, and operational. Primary objectives directly relate to the HOV goals of improving the person throughput and encouraging higher occupancy. Characteristics of an HOV facility that contribute to the attainment of the HOV goals are evaluated as supporting evaluation objectives. Attributes that protect the performance of the HOV facility are evaluated as operational objectives. Quantifiable measures of effectiveness are selected to determine if an objective is met. The framework includes procedures to calculate the statistical reliability and relative uncertainty of the data collected. A cost-effectiveness evaluation procedure and sensitivity analysis to evaluate the economic feasibility of an HOV facility is also presented. The framework was applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the HOV facility on the Barnet/Hastings corridor. Data related to the implementation of the Barnet/Hastings HOV lane were analyzed in accordance with the framework. The results of the application are presented.