Twin Cities truck traffic management strategies

Abstract

This paper describes how heavy commercial vehicles have significantly different vehicle performance characteristics than light vehicles, and generally have different trip patterns (both spatially and temporally). As a result, the special needs of heavy commercials are not always met by standard roadway and facility designs, traveler information, and roadway operating/management process. The purpose of the research described in this paper was to investigate the traffic management strategies that could be applied in the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minneapolis/St, Paul, MN, in order to improve truck traffic transportation within the area, and to develop implementation plans for applying the strategies. All the strategies recommended are relatively low cost, represent marginal improvements, can be feasibly accomplished within a few years, and require no special financial appropriation. The investigators were surprised that the most promising strategies involved only low-cost or no-cost policy change as opposed to high capital costs infrastructure or design improvements.