Revisiting the notion of induced traffic through a matched-pairs study

In investigating the question of the existence of "induced demand" in connection with highway expansion projects, Hansen et al. (1993) studied eighteen California state highway segments whose capacities had been improved in the early 1970s. For the present study, these segments were paired with control segments that matched the improved segments to unimproved ones with regard to facility type, region, approximate size, and initial volumes and congestion levels. Taking annual data for average daily traffic (ADT) and design-hour-traffic-to-capacity (DTC) ratios during the 21 years 1976–1996, three approaches were used to compare growth rates between the improved and unimproved segments: overall growth comparisons for the matched pairs, repeated measures analysis, and analysis of matched mean profiles. We found the growth rates between the two types of segments to be statistically and practically indistinguishable, suggesting that the capacity expansions, in and of themselves, had a negligible effect on traffic growth over the period studied. Reasons for the differences between these results and those of aggregate cross-sectional models finding a significant induced demand effect are discussed. Our analyses suggest that the aggregate models may overestimate induced traffic due to the attribution of at least a fraction of the observed traffic growth to "induced demand" rather than to some of the confounding factors which were not controlled for in such studies. At the same time, it is noted that the traffic induced by capacity expansion may in certain circumstances be larger than that observed in the present study, with the effect of new highway construction on traffic growth being a prime candidate for scrutiny in this regard. The results of this study nonetheless suggest that, for existing facilities, the size of the induced-traffic effect that can be attributed to capacity enhancements may be sufficiently small that its detection in a case-control study would be difficult, if not impossible, without a substantially larger sample size.     

高速公路建设与建设环境

就高速公路建设与建设环境的关系进行了阐述，并对建设环境方面存在的主要问题进行了分析，就优化建设环境的对策进行了一些探讨。     

开阳高速公路沥青混凝土路面平整度的控制实践

通过介绍施工阶段影响沥青混凝土路面平整度的诸因素及平整度的控制措施 ,为改善和提高沥青混凝土路面平整度提供一些借鉴经验。     

基于正交异性壳单元的悬索桥非线性静风稳定性分析

基于正交各向异性空间壳单元的大跨度桥梁静风稳定分析方法,通过对江阴长江大桥的静风稳定分析表明,大跨度悬索桥在静风荷载作用下存在两种破坏形式,即静力扭转发散与风荷载超过结构极限承载力造成的破坏,结构的具体破坏形式可能因攻角不同而改变。通过与空间梁单元模型的比较分析表明:两种方法计算的整体变形比较一致,但传统空间梁单元模型存在一定的局限性,而壳单元法能比较全面地考虑结构的整体与局部失稳。     

沥青路面早期损坏的原因及防治

该文通过济宁市路网建设的实例,提出了沥青路面早期损坏的类型与特征,分析了存在问题和原因,给出了解决问题的方法和措施。     

影响沥青路面平整度因素和施工控制

高等级公路对路面平整度要求较高,该文结合施工实践,分析影响沥青路面平整度的因素,即路基施工质量、桥头涵洞两段及桥梁伸缩缝的处理、路面底基层及基层的施工、路面施工机械的选用及路面材料的质量有关,并提出控制平整度应采取的相应施工措施,为指导沥青路面施工,确保沥青路面平整度提供了参考。     

重庆长江二桥桥面病害分析与处治研究

通过对重庆长江二桥桥面铺装修复工程的回顾与总结,探讨轻型桥梁薄层复合式桥面铺装的破坏机理与处治措施,阐述轻型桥梁桥面铺装修复工程的实施要点,并对轻型桥梁的沥青混凝土桥面铺装设计提出建议,可作为类似桥梁在桥面铺装新建或修复过程中的技术参考。     

公路建设占用林地问题及其保护对策探讨

公路工程占用林地具有距离长、面积大的特点,在比较不同生态类型生态服务价值的基础上,确定了公路建设占用林地的原则,并据此提出了减少林地占用和减轻生态环境影响的措施及建议,将有助于公路建设减少林地的占用和减少公路建设对生态环境的影响。     

水泥砼路面板破坏原因及防治

文章主要介绍了水泥砼路面病害分类,分析了水泥砼路面断板的原因,提出了病害预防措施和修复方法,对水泥砼路面施工、养护具一定指导意义。     

沙漠公路交通安全设施优化

通过对塔克拉玛干沙漠公路交通安全影响因素的分析,结合新疆第二条沙漠公路阿拉尔至和田沙漠公路的特点及交通安全设施设置情况,对阿和沙漠公路的标志、标线、护栏、景观带及平面交叉口等方面进行了优化,提出了在沙漠公路上每隔一定距离设立限速标志牌,提醒司机控制车速,谨慎驾驶;增设景观带,缓解司机的视觉疲劳,改善心情,提高行车安全性;改变部分标志牌颜色,增强警示作用;设置纵坡预告标志和下坡标志,提供纵坡信息;设置柱式轮廓标,方便司机确认行驶区域;对交通量较大的交叉口按照统一的标准进行交通安全工程设计及交叉口渠化等优化措施。