SUMMARY

RESEARCH REPORT ORGANIZATION

This research report includes the following chapters and appendices:

• Chapter 1: Background introduces the original problem statement and project background.
• Chapter 2: Research Approach outlines the research activities.
• Chapter 3: Findings and Applications summarizes key findings and describes how these findings contributed to the final guide. Chapter 3 specifically discusses findings from the following research tasks:
  • Gap analysis.
  • Literature review and market intelligence assessment.
  • Stakeholder engagement outreach.
  • White paper development.
  • Guide development.
• Chapter 4: Conclusions, Recommendations, and Suggested Research provides an overview of key project conclusions and outlines topics that could benefit from additional future research.
• Chapter 5: References cites specific documents noted in the text of the report.
• Chapter 6: Bibliography provides key resources and references related to active traffic management (ATM) not specifically included in Chapter 5..
• Appendices A–E include additional project details and findings related to ATM in the form of white papers as follows:
  • Appendix A: White Paper on ATM in Work Zones.
  • Appendix B: White Paper on New Data Sources and Their Impact on ATM.
  • Appendix C: White Paper on New Technology.
  • Appendix D: White Paper on the Intersection of Performance Metrics and ATM Operations.
  • Appendix E: White Paper on ATM on Arterials.

In addition to this report, two supplemental products are also available—an Implementation Plan and a presentation with an overview of the project. Both are available by searching for National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only Document 402 on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org).

PURPOSE

The objective of this research was to update and enhance the previously developed draft guide for planning and evaluating ATM for recurrent and nonrecurrent conditions. The final product is intended to become the primary reference on ATM and serve as an essential resource for those agencies considering ATM in their jurisdiction.

FINDINGS AND APPLICATION

The research team conducted a wholesale assessment of the original draft guide prepared in 2016. The gap analysis contained a broad range of content based on several years of research and referenced over 100 documents from both domestic and international sources. Based on the

expertise of the team members, the research team conducted a thorough review of each of the original 12 chapters and 2 appendices to identify and categorize content based on that which remained relevant for the specific topic; that which needed specific updating based on current conditions, new technologies, emerging strategies, and/or known trends; that which was no longer relevant and should be removed completely; and specific content or topics that were missing from the guide and needed to be incorporated into existing chapters and/or added as a standalone chapter.

The research team reviewed existing literature on the planning, design, operations, maintenance, evaluation, and monitoring of ATM strategies and to assess current market intelligence and analysis tools that might factor into the planning, evaluation, and implementation of ATM strategies. The team developed a conceptual data framework in the form of a review template to organize the information collected during the literature review and to support the analysis of collected information in subsequent tasks.

The project team conducted several activities to solicit feedback and input from stakeholder audiences, either directly as part of this project or by leveraging ongoing activities in which the project team are participating. The intent was to engage with stakeholders to identify relevant information related to projects and ATM strategies that can be included in the revised guide.

The research team prepared five white papers on specific topics at the direction of the project panel. The topics for the white papers addressed ATM in work zones; new data sources and their impact on ATM; new technology; the intersection of performance metrics and ATM operations; and ATM on arterials. The research team incorporated the themes and overall content of the white papers into the final guide to the extent practicable.

CONCLUSIONS

The guide serves as the primary source for guidelines on planning and evaluating ATM operational strategies for deployment to address recurrent and nonrecurrent congestion.