Field research concerning contra-flow as a measure for massive evacuation

Field research concerning contra-flow as a measure for massive evacuation

Knapper, A.S.
Brookhuis, K.A.

Technology, Policy and Management

Engineering, Systems and Services

2010-12-31

The present study concerns a practice test that aimed at investigating to what extent contra flow or reverse laning (Dutch: tegenverkeer) works well in the Netherlands and how participating car drivers evaluate it. Reverse laning may be a solution for a capacity problem in case all lanes of roads are needed to evacuate large areas. To that end, the lanes of the Bornholmstraat (an entry / exit street near the Euroborg Soccer Stadium in Groningen) were reversed in one, outward-bound direction after a selected FC Groningen soccer match. The coincidental participants received a short questionnaire that contained a few questions concerning their behavior, opinions and feelings about the evacuation. To maximize the response rate a bonus was announced; if they returned the questionnaire, it gave them a chance of winning VIP tickets for a FC Groningen match. The 690 useful respondents who had driven in the reversed lanes situation thought that the test setup was safe and understandable; 79.3% had chosen the right lane corresponding to their stated destination, 79.2% had felt safe. Capacity gains by an extra traffic lane in the outward-bound direction were estimated at 50 to 80%, leading to the conclusion that reverse laning may well be used in Dutch evacuation plans. Recommendations are made to that purpose.

contraflow
reverse laning
evacuation
traffic
tegenverkeer
Netherlands

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b92342b1-6463-476a-9028-28c5730d6a33

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2010.07.009

Elsevier

1877-7058

Procedia Engineering, 3, 2010

Institutional Repository

journal article

(c) 2010 Elsevier