Reevaluation of the Reversible Lanes on Connecticut Ave. via the Cost-Benefit Analysis

Posted: August 26th, 2021

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Reevaluation of the Reversible Lanes on Connecticut Ave. via the Cost-Benefit Analysis

Introduction and Summary

Studying the effect of removing reversible lanes from the 2.7 miles segment on Connecticut Avenue, N.W., is so important. Specifically, the study would involve appraising the operational and safety impacts of non-reversible lanes. Although the entire road runs from 24^th Street in the south to Legation Street in the north coupled with a six-lane cross-section, removing the reversible lanes would be the main objective of the study. Moreover, the study would seek to test the effect of non-reversible lanes on the peak hours, such as from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. when the traffic flow is high (Dey and Aden 2). On the other hand, the study would also establish the impact of not using reversible lanes during evening hours between 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. when a majority of the road users in Washington D.C. are leaving for homes. Therefore, it implies that the study’s objective is to reinforce the opening of three-lanes in each direction during peak hours as opposed to letting four lanes operate at peak hours (Dey and Aden 2). In this scenario, there will be no prohibition of curb standing and parking in all the directions of traffic flow.

Purpose of Report and Study Objectives

The researchaim is to study the removal of the reversible lane on Connecticut Avenue, N.W., which has proven to be a recurrent issue for traffic safety, leading to car accidents and numerous incidents of pedestrians’ crashesbecause the use of reversible lanes encourages driving onto the sidewalks.The study objective is ensuring the use of six-lanes with no parking during commuting hours. In the morning, four lanes rush drivers into the city, whereas the lanes in the middle of the road reverse in the evening as commuters head back out of the town.

Traffic Issue

The reason for the removal of reversible lanes in the Connecticut road is that this kind of traffic flow regulation system occasioned increased cases of accidents to pedestrians and head-on crashes among the motorists (Dey and Aden 4). Although there existed many erected road signs and signals with information warning the motorists, a large number of violations were recorded during peak hours either southbound or northbound. For example, quite a high number of head-on, as well as sideswipes crashes, were recorded across critical road corridor points of the Cathedral Avenue, Porter/Quebec Street, Tilden Street, Yuma Street, Nebraska Avenue, and alongside the Military Road (Dey and Aden 4).

Principal Findings  

The chief findings entailed a direct correlation existing between the usage of reversible lanes and the rates of road signs and signals violation. Precisely, the numbers of violations were low at Nebraska Avenue during the a.m. peak hours when the traffic moved on three-lanes in both directions. With the applicability of reversible 4 lanes being used, the rates of recorded violations reached as high as 82% of the adjacent lane volume (Dey and Aden 5). As an example, the number of documented violations was 18 during the a.m. at Porter/Quebec Streets, especially when the usability of the reversible lanes was reduced to 48% (Dey and Aden 5). Nonetheless, usability rates of the reversible lane during the evening peak hours dropped considerably since most of the motorists accepted the fact that they anticipated numerous crashes, and therefore stayed away from the Connecticut road.

Proposed Solution

Since the use of the reversible lanes on the busy Connecticut road was associated with massive road violations that led to an increased number of crashes, D.C. made a few policy reforms proposal intended to re-check the effectiveness of the reversible lanes (Dey and Aden 7). The proposal entailed the following. First, D.C. has so far abolished the reversible lane or one-way rush hour traffic operations along the Constitution Avenue, NE. According to the traffic analysis, it was discovered that the conversion had enhanced circulation in the area by lowering speeds as well as enhanced network connectivity (Fenton). Moreover, it has aided in regulating the number of commuters in the corridor, thus improving the livability of the nearby community locality. Second, the removal of the reversible lanes across Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., has favored the planted median. Indeed, the elimination of the reversible lanes happened because the D.C. wanted to encourage low vehicle capacity that would reduce the number of pedestrians getting endangered with accidents (Dey and Aden 7). Next, the removal of the reversible lanes across 15th Street, N.W., happened as a measure of providing a safe road network for the bike project. Lastly, the District of Columbia was equally considering the possibility of eliminating the reversible lanes on 16th Street, N.W. in case the road does not sustain the temporal circulation of traffic on this corridor. Thus, the reversible lanes could be regarded as restricting operational flexibility of traffic flow across the 16^th street since several exclusive turn movements could not be handled effectively.

Benefit-Cost Ratio for the Proposed Solution

Concerning the cost-benefit analysis, the use of reversible lanes seems undesirable as it does not add economic and development value to the entire road network of Connecticut. The reason is that the usability of the reversible lanes would limit the needs of the neighboring businesses as well as land uses (Dey and Aden 12). On the contrary, the elimination of the reversible lanes would mean that the local companies would be impacted positively due to multiple income-generating operations such as curbside parking and turn movement. For example, turn movements would save time and gallons of fuels that would have been wasted, hence spurring additional economic values. Besides, the elimination of reversible lanes would offer pedestrians an environmentally friendly experience of walking alongside the footpaths without any fear of being knocked down (Dey and Aden 13). Notably, the presence of medians reduces the exposures of pedestrians extensively to motorists when crossing the street, thus encouraging unfamiliar or tourists to walk and enjoy the attraction sites in Washington, D.C. As a result, this would help increase the revenue margins on tourism for the state.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Washington, D.C. has operated the reversible lanes for several decades as a way of maximizing the traffic system capacity. Initially, the reversible lanes used to increase the transportation supply concerning the fluctuating demand; nonetheless, this method has ceased to be impactful (Dey and Aden 23). The reason is that the practicability of the reversible lanes has resulted in evidence of increased cases of incidental road crashes in comparison with the non-reversible lane segments. For example, the higher recorded crash rates can be attributed to the tradition of the state of not utilizing mast arms due to aesthetic reasons. As a popular tourist destination in the U.S., the District Columbia boasts of a significant number of unaccustomed drivers who regularly visit the state.

Therefore, the use of the reversible lanes can be quite confusing for turning movements, especially for many unacquainted drivers who tend to raise the level of a tourist destination. Further, economic revitalization vis-à-vis the enhancement of infrastructural sectors and the need to improve the walkability as well as the livability of the state are two most essential items that characterize the District Columbia’s agenda (Feston). Hence, there is a need to re-evaluate the benefit of the concept of reversible lanes in respect to the rejuvenation of the economy. For example, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has embarked on a more expanded analysis concerning safety, functional, and land-use effects of endorsing the non-reversible lanes. Apart from that, DDOT seems to be examining the viability of applying the reversible overhead lane that is installed with control signals as a means of detecting the functional strategies of enhancing the safety of the Connecticut lanes.

Works Cited

Dey, Soumya, and Yusuf Aden. “Reversible Lane Operation for Arterial Roadways: The Washington, DC, USA Experience.”ITI Journal, 2011, pp. 1-35, www.pdfs.semanticscholar.org/33c9/12a06317ce76e2904c50f2744514fc2cc446.pdf. Accessed 19 April 2020.

Fenston, Jacob. “Confused by the Reversing Lanes on Connecticut Ave.? D.C. May Remove Them.”Wamu American University Radio, 2018,www.wamu.org/story/18/11/28/confused-by-the-reversing-lanes-on-connecticut-ave-d-c-may-remove-them/. Accessed 19 April 2020.