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Abstract for presentation (Poster or Podium)

Intelligent Transportation Systems

Variable Message Signs around Airports: Vehicle Diversion to Improve Congestion and Curb Performance

Monday, June 17, 2024
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM ET
Room: Galleria
Abstract: Airports handle significant arrival and departure traffic, and inefficient curb space allocation for this traffic increases congestion and emissions. Variable Message Signs (VMS) are one way to help alleviate this issue (by guiding vehicles away from crowded areas); however, VMS effectiveness hinges on the right activation and deactivation timing. In this study, we used a validated microsimulation model of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and simulated sixteen VMS management scenarios to determine the best VMS operation to enhance curb performance and minimize congestion and emissions. The scenarios encompass different activation/deactivation approaches, sending (access from where vehicles are diverted) and receiving (access to where vehicles are diverted) links, traffic condition levels, and driver compliance rates (DCRs). Our findings suggest that airports can maximize VMS benefits by timely activation and deactivation, even with driver compliance of as low as 5%. Across all scenarios, a reduction in queue length (100-1,150 ft) and queue duration (15-144 minutes) was observed at the sending link. In particular, activating VMS before congestion started in the sending link and deactivating it before congestion began on the receiving link led to the most substantial improvements in curb performance (8-10% increase), vehicle counts (101-103% increase), delay (29-78% decrease), and emissions (12-14% decrease). Yet, it was shown that activating VMS might not always improve curb performance. The improvements were non-significant when the receiving link was congested, and activating VMS after the queue formed in the sending link and deactivating it when the receiving link got congested even worsened curb performance (6-62%), vehicle counts (33-60%) and delay (96-595%). Our proposed framework and the wide range of input values and scenarios provide valuable insights into how airports could successfully exploit VMS technologies.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Identify the use of Variable Message Signs (VMS) around airports as a curb management strategy to improve congestion and curb productivity, using the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as a case study.
  • Identify various performance metrics for assessing curb management scenarios from the perspective of congestion, productivity, accessibility, and emissions.
  • Compare the impacts of different VMS management strategies on airport curb performance using microsimulation.