Quantifying Impact of Port Truck Traffic on Highway Operations Using GPS-Based Speed Data.

摘要

The introduction of mega-ships (i.e. post-Panamax vessels) presented an opportunity for ports to be even more competitive and cost-effective. For example, the construction and investment commitment of over $ 3.45 billion between 2013 and 2018 into Port Newark/Elizabeth are being made with a goal of maintaining and improving navigation transportation infrastructure and developing new terminal capacity. In late 2013, The Port Authority of New York-New Jersey (PONYNJ) established a task force to identify challenges to port efficiency and service reliability, and recommend potential solutions. For this reason it is necessary to understand and quantify the effect of the increasing introduction of the mega-ships and related changes in port operations on highway system. Better understanding of these effects will help planners identify the solutions and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing serious disruptions. The developed simulation model is used to analyze what-if" scenarios that depict the change in truck demand on terminal gate operation. Three developed scenario illustrated the impact of change in truck demand on Port access roadway network. The analysis compared the truck queues and delays at the gate as results of change in truck demand. Two policies, commonly used to control the truck arrival patterns at the gate, the extended gate hours and the gate appointment system, were examined to address the gate operation. Their impact on truck delays and queues at the gate is observed and noted. In addition, analysis investigates the critical truck demand that will cause a queue spillover on a surrounding highway network. The sensitivity analysis identified network deficiencies and truck demand at which queue will reach highway access point.