RSH has created more uniform vehicle speeds and has reduced traffic crashes

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), in coordination with
its law enforcement partners, is using a new method aimed at reducing
congestion and accidents on eastbound Interstate 70, from the west
side of the Eisenhower Tunnel to the bottom of Floyd Hill. Knownas
Rolling Speed Harmonization (RSH) or "Pacing", this pilot program
utilizes police vehicles during historic peak hours to pace traffic at
speeds, on average, of between 35 and 55 mph, dependingupon weather
conditions.
What is the purpose of RSH?
The purpose of RSH is to create more uniform vehicle speeds, helping
to improve safety, reduce traffic crashes and improve traffic flow on
the corridor by delaying the onset of congestion. The concept is
similar to pouring rice into a funnel. If poured at a gradual rate,
more grains pass through the funnel. But if poured too quickly,
itclogs. When traffic moves at a more uniform rate, more vehicles can
pass through, more efficiently. Differentials in vehicle speeds lead
to a higher probability of accidents which, in turn, substantially
increases congestion. In some instances, RSH may not significantly
improve travel times from the previous year, however thehope is that
it will create better predictability by reducing accidents and other
incidents caused by congestion so that motorist can better plan and
know what to expect for their travel time.
When will RSH occur?
CDOT may conduct RSH on Sundays or holidays through the 2012 ski
season. The program may also be implemented in mid-summer as traffic
volumes indicate. RSH generally begins about 11 a.m. and concludes
by 5 p.m. however, the times are dependent upon traffic volumes. CDOT
does not pace vehicles when traffic is too light asit slows traffic
unnecessarily. Conversely, when traffic is heavy, it slows to speeds
below the pacingspeed on its own, so pacing is ineffective. The ideal
time to pace traffic is when traffic volumes are between 1900 – 2400
vehicles per hour, but this is approximate. If traffic congestion
increases to the point where speeds drop below 30 miles per hour or
traffic backs up into the Eisenhower Tunnel requiring CDOT to meter or
clear traffic from the tunnel, pacing will conclude for the day since
it becomes ineffective.
Why does CDOT meter/clear traffic from the Eisenhower Tunnel?
Eastbound traffic is held or "metered" at the tunnel when vehicle
volumes exceed the capacityof I-70 to the point where it backs up into
the tunnel. When back-ups occur, CDOT stops vehicles from entering
the tunnel, allowing trafficto clear, before releasing more traffic
into the tunnel. This is not something CDOT wants to do as it
frustrates motorists and further slows traffic. It is only done for
thesafety of motorists as a last resortsince there are no roadway
shoulders in the tunnel, CDOT needs to keep traffic in the tunnel
moving so that emergency service responders can access emergencies.
When traffic is stopped, they cannot get through or into the tunnel.
Pacing is different than tunnel metering and pacing is not connected
to nor doesit cause tunnel metering or the traffic stops in the
tunnel.
How does RSH operate?
The operation generally begins between 11 a.m. and noon – when vehicle
counts on eastbound I-70 reach between 1900 and 2,000 vehicles per
hour. It continues through the late afternoon or early evening,
depending on traffic counts and road conditions. One police car
serves as the pace vehicle, with a new pace group or "platoon" leaving
the Eisenhower Tunnel about every five to 10 minutes. In addition, key
interchanges such as Loveland (US6) and Empire (US 40) have uniformed
officers that manually operate a ramp meter to allow traffic to merge
into the gaps between the platoons. After every RSH event, CDOT
evaluates the data collected. Changes to the program are continually
occurring as new information is gathered eachtime it runs. For
example, RSH is no longer beginning in Silverthorne but instead will
begin at the Eisenhower Tunnel approach. Additionally, CDOT has
refined when RSH goes into effect. Initially, it would begin when
traffic volumes were lower but instead CDOT is waiting until it builds
to between 1900 and 2000 vehicles per hour, just before the time when
congestion is starting to build and the potential for accidents starts
to increase. The messages posted on the signs have been changed based
on feedback from the public and the traffic control on the rampsfrom
US 6 and US 40 for vehicles merging into the RSH operation has also
been improved in an effort to make the program run more efficiently.
What is the cost of RSH?
CDOT supports the program by paying 24 off-duty officers, at an
approximate cost of $12,000 for each operation.
What do drivers need to know aboutdriving during RSH?
When RSH is underway, it's critical that drivers realize they won't be
able to jump ahead and drive any faster. Groups of vehicles are slowed
to leave a greater distance between each group. This is to allow
traffic to flow more smoothly.While a motorist may think the roadis
clear ahead and feel the urge to go faster since they don't see the
other vehicles, the reality is they would just drive faster and catch
upwith the next group, resulting in more traffic grouping together and
backups to occur.
When pacing is in effect, CDOT suggests drivers should:
*. Relax and be patient
*. Avoid changing lanes unless it is absolutely critical due to debris
or some other issue; both lanes should travel at the same speed, so
"jockeying for position" is irrelevant
*. It is fine to pass slow moving vehicles like semi trucks, to
maintain the paced speed of your group
*. Leave adequate space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you (ideally, one car length for every 10 mph; four to five car
lengths at 40-50 mph)
*. Keep your eyes up; don't focus onthe rear of the vehicle in front of you
CSP is reminding drivers to be courteous and safely follow and comply
with the lead police vehicle. Aggressive or unsafe drivers may be
reported to the Colorado State Patrol by dialing *277 on your cell
phone.
*. RSH involves the regulation of traffic by law enforcement in an
effort to ensure safe and speedy movement of traffic through the I-70
corridor.
*. Vehicles traveling on I-70 during RSH may not overtake the lead
law-enforcement vehicle at any time.
*. Any vehicle that overtakes the lead law-enforcement vehicle will be
contacted by a law-enforcement officer.
*. The contacting officer will take appropriate enforcement action
against the driver of the overtaking vehicle.
Where is the biggest problem area?
I-70 west becomes clogged due to a number of factors. The most
obvious is heavy traffic but the steep grades, curves, weather,
accidents, mixture of recreational and commercial vehicles and
different driver abilities/comfort levels all can affect traffic flow
on the highway. Merging large numbers of vehicles from US 40 into
narrow sections of I-70 and trying to funnel the traffic through the
Twin Tunnels creates major backups. This area of interstate around
the Twin Tunnels including the sharp curves east of the tunnels
experiences over 200 accidents/year and for whatever reason, drivers
tend to slow down and brake more often here. The result is a residual
effect of stop and go traffic that can back up for miles. The good
news is CDOT has plans to expand the eastbound TwinTunnel to add three
lanes with shoulders from the east Idaho Springs Interchange to Floyd
Hill. This improvement will greatly ease some of the congestion that
occursat this location. Construction will begin in the summer of 2013.
How did RSH come about?
Implementation of the pilot programbegan on Sunday, December 18, 2011.
Its usage is not new in the U.S. Similar speed control operations,
often known as "RollingRoad Blocks," have been effectivelyutilized in
other states, such as Florida, Nebraska and Virginia, to safely move
vehicles through heavy traffic areas or construction zones.
Minneapolis uses overhead electronic speed limits to slow speeds to
appropriate levels for thecongestion. However, it has never been used
for such a long segment of highway in a mountain corridor such as I-70
west.
Is RSH working?
CDOT has been working hard to finda low-cost solution to improve the
weekend traffic congestion on I-70. While this program will not solve
all of the I-70 traffic problems, particularly when traffic volumes
are extremely heavy, every indication is that it can be used to
improve the flow of traffic on days that could otherwise result in
unpredictable and significant travel delays. It's important to note
that every weekend is different. Traffic crashes, weather and other
incidents all can affect travel timesand that is why CDOT is
collecting data each time the program runs.
Data collected from previous operations indicates that the program is
promising but does have its limitations. The more times the operation
runs, the more data CDOTcan collect to better evaluate the positives
and the negatives of the program. There is an indication that RSH has
created more uniform vehicle speeds and has reduced traffic crashes
and improved trafficflow as well as reduced the number of times
traffic was stopped and cleared or metered at the Eisenhower Tunnel.
CDOT is continuing to acquire data to evaluate and modify the program
following each day it is implemented, seeking any necessary
improvements in the operation.

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