Research Needs Stmt, One and Multi Lane Loop Ramp Design.docVIP

NCHRP Research Problem Statement Research Problem Number To be assigned by NCHRP Research Problem Title One- and Multi-Lane Loop Ramp Design Research Background As traffic volumes in most areas continue to grow and right-of-way and available funding to build new infrastructure become limited, more emphasis is placed on adding additional capacity to existing infrastructure or constructing new facilities with higher capacities. At interchanges, a potential treatment to add capacity is 1 to construct mult-lane loop ramps or 2 the conversion of an existing one-lane loop ramps to multi-lane loop ramps. Loop ramps, as with other interchange ramp types, have specific design and operational characteristics that must be considered as part of a ramp system entry and exit gore areas, ramp proper, and ramp terminal intersection to produce a safe and efficient design. Chapter 10 of AASHTO’s A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 2004 Green Book provides no guidance on the application and design of multi-lane loop ramps. Also of concern is the downstream configuration of the roadway past the exit terminal of loop ramp design and how the lanes will merge based on geometrics and capacity. In fact there is little supporting research on design and operational characteristics of one-lane loop ramps. A better understanding of one-lane loop ramp design and operations would be helpful in establishing design criteria for multi-lane loop ramps. The only known research on one-lane loop ramps relates to accident crash experience. This research did not quantify loop ramp geometry. Consequently, there is no definitive accident data associated with one-lane loop ramp design elements. Research Objective Although potential multi-lane loop ramp designs can be “pieced together” using many existing guidelines listed in Chapter 10 for example, general guidance is given on the design of multi-lane entrance and exit terminals , this type of design does not consider the