Operational and safety-based analyses of varied toll lanes.

Valdes Diaz, Didier M.; Ruiz Gonzalez, Johnathan; Colucci Rios, Benjamin; Ruiz Cruz, Bryan; Garcia Rosario, Ricardo; Colon Torres, Enid · 2016 · ROSA P / University Transportation Centers Program (U.S.)

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Summary

This study addresses the safety and operational challenges associated with varied toll lane configurations, specifically focusing on the Caguas Sur Toll Plaza in Puerto Rico. The implementation of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and Open Road Tolling (ORT) has created mixed systems where lanes have different speed limits and payment methods, leading to driver confusion, erratic merging, and increased crash frequencies. The research was motivated by the lack of uniform design standards for toll plaza signage and the need to evaluate whether proposed overhead signage could improve driver behavior compared to existing roadside signage. The researchers employed a mobile driving simulator at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez to conduct a controlled experiment. The study utilized a Latin Square experimental design with 20 subject drivers (10 per group) to counterbalance scenario order. Participants drove through 12 distinct scenarios that varied by traffic flow, starting lane position, destination lane (cash vs. ETC), and lighting conditions (day vs. night). The two independent variables were the signage configurations: Configuration 1 represented the existing roadside signage, while Configuration 2 featured proposed overhead signage compliant with Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) guidelines. Data collection focused on three surrogate safety measures: Standard Deviation of Roadway Position (SDRP), average speed, and acceleration noise, analyzed across specific locator references prior to the toll plaza. Statistical analysis included F-Tests and ANOVA with Tukey comparison tests. The results indicated that the proposed overhead signage configuration significantly improved driving behavior metrics. Specifically, drivers exposed to the overhead signage exhibited a statistically significant reduction in acceleration noise, a key surrogate measure for safety. This reduction was attributed to smoother lane-changing patterns and more anticipatory speed reductions as drivers approached the toll plaza. In contrast, the existing roadside signage configuration resulted in higher acceleration noise, reflecting more erratic driving maneuvers. The study found that overhead signs allowed drivers to process lane purpose and speed limit information more effectively, leading to better performance in terms of SDRP and speed consistency compared to the roadside signs. The significance of this research lies in its validation of driving simulators as a cost-effective and safe tool for evaluating toll plaza design changes without exposing participants to real-world hazards. The findings provide strong evidence that upgrading to overhead signage can mitigate the safety risks associated with mixed tolling systems by reducing driver confusion and erratic maneuvers. These conclusions support the adoption of standardized, overhead signage configurations to enhance operational efficiency and safety in toll facilities, contributing to broader efforts to reduce highway crashes and severe injuries.

Key finding

The proposed overhead signage configuration produced a statistically significant reduction in acceleration noise compared to existing roadside signage, indicating smoother driving behavior and improved safety at the toll plaza.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 20

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• work zones
• perceptual countermeasures
• signage environment
• speed choice
• rail grade crossings

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: tool software, dataset resource