Effect of traffic composition and emergency lane on capacity: a case study of intercity expressway in India

The study is intended to investigate the effect of traffic composition and the use of a paved emergency lane on capacity. Ahmedabad–Vadodara four-lane divided intercity expressway (Mahatma Gandhi expressway, designated as NE-1) which has an emergency lane on either side is taken as a case study. For modeling traffic flow on expressway, a microscopic simulation technique is employed in this study. The simulation model was developed, calibrated, and validated for rendering as well as replicating the real traffic conditions. Results of the study show that the capacity is greatly influenced by emergency lanes and traffic composition. The result of the present study is expected to highlight the ongoing national-level efforts of developing guidelines for Indo-Highway Capacity Manual.