Mitigation of traffic congestion due to traffic concentration in sags

3) Alleviation of traffic congestion due to traffic concentration in sags

• In-bound to alleviate congestion by the speed reduction at the slope or sag part, in particular a large traffic jam is predicted Tohoku Expressway Out-bound Habu near and PA Kan-Etsu Expressway In-bound LED with excellent visibility such as in garden near IC ^*1 We implemented "Measures to alleviate traffic congestion by providing speed recovery information" using labeled cars.
• On the day when the countermeasures were taken, the daily traffic volume at both locations was almost the same or increased compared to before the countermeasures, but the traffic congestion decreased by about 60% near the Tohoku Expressway Out-bound Hanyu PA and about 40% near the Kan-Etsu Expressway In-bound Hanazono IC. Did.
  *1 LED: Light Emitting Diode

1 Overview of "Providing speed recovery information using LED-marked vehicles"

In-bound congestion caused by the slowdown in slope and sag portion

In-bound at hill or sag part, by there are car speed decreases unconsciously, the distance between the vehicles following vehicle is Chijimiri, by stepping on the chain to brake, traffic congestion occurs.
(The first car that slows down doesn't notice that it caused a traffic jam)

　Congestion will be alleviated by issuing a "speed reduction alert" near the beginning of the congestion

Before traffic jam

Provides information to let people know that this place may unknowingly slow down and cause congestion
(Information offerings: "slowdowns Caution", "○○○ m away In-bound hill")

During a traffic jam

: Soon the traffic will end and provide information to ask for speed recovery
(Information provided: "End of traffic congestion at ○○○m" "Please recover speed")

2 May 3 (Wed) Tohoku Expressway Out-bound Congestion relief effect near PA

• The daily traffic volume increased by about 30% compared to the same day in FY2016, which was before the countermeasures, but traffic congestion decreased by about 60%.
  Top of traffic jam) Near Hanyu PA (Out-bound line)
  Maximum congestion length) H16: 42.9km ⇒ H18: 17.3km (▲60%)
  Congestion amount) H16: 139.4km・hr ⇒ H18: 62.0km・hr (-56%)
  Daily traffic) H16: 59.2 thousand ⇒ H18: 76.1 thousand (+29%)
  * "Traffic volume" is an index that indicates the size of traffic (congestion length x congestion time)
  *Because measures have been implemented in the previous year (FY2017), comparisons have been made with FY2016, which has not been implemented

3 Thursday, May 4 Congestion mitigation effect near the Kan-Etsu Expressway In-bound flower garden IC

• The daily traffic volume was almost the same as on the same day in FY 2017, which was before the measures, but traffic congestion decreased by about 40%.
  The top of the traffic jam) Near Hanazono IC (In-bound line)
  Maximum congestion length) H17: 28.6km ⇒ H18: 24.7km (▲14%)
  Congestion amount) H17: 134.7km・hr ⇒ H18: 86.4km・hr (-36%)
  Daily traffic) H17: 58.8 thousand ⇒ H18: 60.3 thousand (+3%)
  * "Traffic volume" is an index that indicates the size of traffic (congestion length x congestion time)

〔reference〕

"Providing speed recovery information using LED-marked vehicles" has been confirmed to be effective as a measure against traffic congestion based on the results of measures taken so far. Since this measure can be taken at a lower cost than other measures against traffic congestion, NEXCO EAST is actively working to reduce traffic congestion.

Tohoku Expressway In the vicinity of the Yaita IC (In-bound line), measures are being taken with a permanent "LED signboard".