Highway Design and Traffic Control for Hurricane Evacuation

Highway Design and Traffic Control for Hurricane Evacuation Aspects of Current Design Plans Brian Wolshon Dept. of Civil and Env. Engineering LSU HURRICANE CENTER Addressing Hurricanes and Other Hazards and Their Impacts On the Natural, Built and Human Environments

Initiation & Termination Designs LSU HURRICANE CENTER • The location and configuration of initiation points are based on local concerns and existing road network, geography, and terrain. • Median cross-over • Interchange ramp connections • Termination designs also vary. Although, typically, the goal is not to merge the traffic streams. • • Permanent split “Bleed-off” and merge Exit “normal” flow & x-over contraflow Exit contraflow and re-route

LSU HURRICANE CENTER New Orleans Contraflow Segments

New Orleans Evacuation Routes

New Orleans Contraflow Initiation Point Westbound I-10/Loyal Drive Interchange Median Crossover

New Orleans Contraflow Termination Point Westbound I-10/I-55 Drive Interchange Median Crossover

LSU HURRICANE CENTER Other Contraflow Initiation Points

Alabama DOT I-65 Initiation Point Temporary Signs and Barrels Variable Message Signs DOT personnel on site Quantity Summary

NCDOT I-40 Initiation Point Emergency Contact List Traffic Control Signal Settings Personnel Req’mts DMS Messages

LSU HURRICANE CENTER Other Contraflow Termination Points

Alabama DOT I-65 Termination Point “Normal” Traffic is Tapered to a Single Lane Contraflow Traffic is Split

NCDOT I-40 Termination Point Contraflow Traffic Exits

Note: 2 -way crossover for contraflow re-entry

SCDOT I-26 Interchange Ramp Initiation Point

LSU HURRICANE CENTER Design Plans Features

Alabama DOT I-65 Off-Ramp Reentry to Typical Interchange Contraflow Lanes All On-Ramps open for exiting “Flip Down” Contraflow Guidance Signs

Georgia DOT I-16 No Off-Ramp Reentry to Contraflow Lanes Typical Interchange (without on-ramp exiting) On and Off-Ramps closed using Type III Barricades

With On-Ramp Exiting No Off-Ramp Reentry to Contraflow Lanes On and Off-Ramps Closed Using Water Filled Barricades

Florida DOT I-4 No On-Ramp Exiting or Off-Ramp Reentry from/to Contraflow Lanes Typical Interchange

Emergency Contact Lists Tex. DOT I-37 Reversal Plan Instruction List

Enforcement Configurations and Personnel Locations

Tex. DOT I-37 Emergency Vehicle Circulation Plan Parallel and frontage roads are used for emergency vehicle circulation I-37 Corpus Christi to San Antonio

Interstate 10 LSU Campus Traffic Recording Stations