Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) systems offer the potential to manage both travel demand and network demand in normal and abnormal conditions. Traditionally, ICM is typically applied in an urban setting where multiple transportation modes are readily available. NCDOT has applied ICM principles, but in more rural applications where less modal and network options are likely to exist. NCDOT has deployed ICM on 22 miles of I-85 from MM 10 to 32 near Charlotte with a focus on managing incident-related congestion on the interstate and parallel US-74 arterial. This deployment includes traveler information on Dynamic Message Signs, activatable detour trailblazer signs for individual incidents, and incident-specific signal timing plans for intersections included in the detours.
Observations of traffic flow patterns are essential to accurately capture the traffic diverted due to ICM activations. In this project, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi traffic monitoring devices were placed throughout the corridor and used to match trips along the primary and detour routes to establish baseline O-D patterns which can be compared to ICM activations after implementation. This project also adapted an existing sketch-planning NCDOT analysis method used in the project prioritization process to compare estimated delays on primary and detour routes during ICM operation. The inputs for diversion rates and capacity benefits from ICM-specific signal timing can be updated as observations provide better estimates.
This project developed a live dashboard integrating data feeds from public and private sources presented in a compact set of maps and graphs. NCDOT performs after action reviews of severe incidents including those in the I-85 ICM deployment, which may use the dashboard to supplement their review. Finally, this project developed an evaluation framework which captures delay, safety, environmental, administrative, and capital impacts of ICM deployment. This analysis framework is recommended for the I-85 deployment and others with fixed strategies; however it would need to be augmented with the strategy selection algorithm to account for a dynamic system.
